Nocturne
by Aondehafka
Summary: A story about endings, and beginnings, and the pain of growing up, and the fact that nothing stays the same forever. The Nerima dynamic cannot endure forever... but just what will happen when it finally breaks? *REVIEWS CONTAIN SPOILERS*
1. The Advent of Twilight

                Nocturne

                A Ranma ½ fanfic by Aondehafka

                Disclaimer: the Ranmaverse characters owned by Rumiko Takahashi, and all that obligatory stuff.  This story based on the anime, not the manga.

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                Chapter 1:  The Advent of Twilight

***************

                Ironically enough, it all began with a delivery of _good_ news.

                Nabiki paused on the threshold between the house and the yard, waiting for the chance to speak, and in the meantime enjoying the view.  Ranma Saotome, future brother-in-law, continual source of interesting chaos, and all-around easy mark, was training.  Some sort of speed-building exercise, unless Nabiki missed her guess... he had set up a reinforced, padded post in the middle of the yard, and was hitting it with quick, repetitive, low-power kicks.

                Even as she watched, Ranma broke the rhythm of the attack, tensing just for a split second, and then lashing out so quickly his leg blurred.  Nabiki frowned slightly, expecting the target to go flying and crash through the outer wall.  Another unnecessary expense.  Didn't these martial artists EVER think about practical things like that?

                Whether Ranma had or hadn't must remain unknown.  His flurry of kicks left the post still in place, if battered and leaning back at an angle, and himself putting all his weight on his other leg, gasping and panting for breath.  And grinning.  He'd only been working on this idea for a couple of days, and now, all by himself, he'd managed to achieve Amaguriken speed in something other than a punch.  And in his natural, slower form to boot.  '_Sure beats the old ghoul's training,' he thought smugly._

                The sound of clapping hands drew him back to reality.  Ranma turned to find Nabiki walking toward him, applauding and wearing a typical smirk.  "Bravo, Saotome.  Always nice to see you take one step further beyond what mere mortals can do."

                "Hey, what can I say?  There's a reason they call me the best," Ranma replied.

                After spending a moment wondering idly who 'they' were, Nabiki said, "I was going to tell you something, but since you're in such a good mood, maybe I'd better not."

                The sun chose that exact moment to hide behind a cloud, the fading of the light coinciding nicely with the dimming of Ranma's expression.  He mumbled something along the lines of "shoulda seen it coming," then spoke a little louder.  "Go on an' tell me, Nabiki.  Whatever it is, I'd rather get it over with.  Is Akane cookin' dinner tonight?  Pop have a tussle with animal control again?  Or maybe Kuno got another magic sword?"

                "No, no, and no," Nabiki replied.  She paused, enjoying the irony.

                To Ranma, the cause of her hesitation seemed only too apparent.  He sighed.  "All right.  How much?"

                "I beg your pardon, Saotome?"

                "How much yen you want for whatever bomb you're about to drop on me?"

                Nabiki glanced over at the post that hadn't gone crashing through any of the Tendo property.  "On the house, just this once."

                Ranma paled.  If Nabiki wasn't even trying to turn a profit on this, it could only mean... "That bad, huh."

                "Oh for crying out loud, Ranma, you need to loosen up.  You want to hear my news or not?"

                "Yeah, I guess.  Shoot."

                Deciding to stretch the entertainment just a little more, Nabiki began creeping toward the point.  "Have you noticed anything... different... these last couple of weeks?"

                "Um, Ryoga hasn't been around?"

                "He's typically gone for weeks at a time.  Try again."

                "Our fathers haven't come up with any stupid schemes to force me an' Akane together?"

                Nabiki blinked.  "Knew I'd been forgetting something."  She held up a marriage license, which Ranma couldn't help but notice had had his signature and Akane's forged onto it, then struck a match and reduced it to ashes.  "You can pay me for that later.  That's not what I was talking about, anyway."

                Ranma closed his eyes and massaged his temples, trying to fight off a burgeoning headache.  "Would it be worth 200 yen for ya to just tell me outright?"

                The middle Tendo nearly burst out laughing.  He looked so pathetic.  "Well, as much fun as this is, I do have other things to do this afternoon.  Keep your pocket change, Saotome.  It's Miss Kodachi Kuno, who hasn't been any trouble at all lately.  Right?"

                "Right," Ranma said warily.  "You heard something about that?"

                Nabiki nodded.  "Seems her luck finally ran out.  Kodachi's usual antics might not draw much attention here in Nerima, but the St Hebereke gymnastics team had a competition in greater Tokyo.  Guess she never learned discretion is the better part of valor.  I don't know what happened exactly, but it seems she's been placed in a mental hospital.  So that's one less nutcase out of your hair and ours."

                "B- but... that's... that's GOOD news!" Ranma protested.

                "And why exactly are you protesting, Saotome?"

                "You made it sound like you had something awful to tell me, and you didn't want to ruin my good mood!"

                "Oh dear, Ranma, is that what you thought?  I just meant that I was going to save the news for some time when you were feeling down, so that it would cheer you up."

                A slow grin broke out on Ranma's face.  "Well, heck, Nabiki, I guess you succeeded then."  He snorted.  "Even if you had to manufacture my bad mood yourself."

                "Always happy to be of service," Nabiki returned with a smirk.

***************

                Ranma's good mood lasted the rest of the day, and on into the next.  In fact, he still had a smile on his face as he and Akane walked home from school the following afternoon.

                "You seem happy about something," Akane finally commented.

                "Took ya this long to notice?  Geez, you're unobservant."  Before Akane's temper could flare, Ranma winked at her.  "Just kidding.  So Nabiki didn't tell you the good news?"

                Akane hesitated on the edge of annoyance, but curiosity won out.  "What good news?"

                "Kodachi pulled some kinda stunt where she couldn't get away with it.  She's been put in the loony bin.  So no more sneak attacks, no more paralysis powder, no more laughter that'd give little kids nightmares!"  With a satisfied grunt, Ranma leaped into the air, turning a somersault before landing on the fence.  "You better believe I'm happy about that.  Heck, if they manage to cure her, maybe when she gets out she'll throw her brother and father in to get fixed up too!"

                "R- really?!  Kodachi's... really gone?!" Akane said, shocked.  And feeling more than a little off-balance, to have such a big change come so suddenly out of the blue.

                "That's what Nabiki said.  Maybe we oughta throw a party to celebrate or something."  Ranma glanced down and behind him.  "How come you're not smiling, Akane?" he asked, conveniently forgetting that his first reaction had been shock as well.

                Akane frowned at him.  He made it sound like there was something wrong with her.  "For your information, I don't think it's very nice to celebrate somebody getting put in a mental hospital!"

                "Geez, that's a pretty stupid thing to say," Ranma replied with his usual measure of tact.  "She _needs it.  I think it's a great thing to celebrate, that somebody's getting the help they need."_

                His fiancée's face flushed.  "Ranma, you're such an insensitive jerk!"

                "That don't change the fact that I'm right, though, now does it?" Ranma asked reasonably.  His answer was a bookbag to the face.  He was knocked backward, barely managing to clamp the fencetop between his feet and save himself from a tumble into the canal.  "What was THAT for?!" he yelled once he'd recovered his balance.

                Akane just gave an angry "Hmph!", picked up her fallen bookbag, and stalked away.  Ranma followed after her at a discreet distance, rubbing the new bruise on his face and more than a little irritated, but with the good mood still present underneath it.  It would take a lot more than Akane's usual temper tantrums to knock him out of that.

***************

                As it turned out, 'a lot more' was even that moment disembarking from a silver Rolls Royce outside the Tendo home.

                When Akane came into view of the house some ten minutes later, she stopped and stared at the vehicle, pushing her annoyance at Ranma to the back of her mind.  There were almost never any cars parked in front of her home.  It usually only happened when certain city council members visited her father.  Had she seen this one before?  It looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't be sure.  There had been that period during her middle school years when Tatewaki had been chauffeured to school in a series of luxury cars, and Akane couldn't be certain that wasn't what was causing this sense of familiarity.

                "Whose car is that?" Ranma asked, walking up next to her.

                "I don't know.  I was thinking it looked familiar.  Have you seen it before?"

                Ranma gave the car a long searching glance, before shrugging.  "I dunno."

                Akane snorted.  "Honestly, why did I even ask?  Do you ever think of _anything other than martial arts and food?"_

                "Hey, that's not..." Ranma's voice trailed off as the combination of food and martial arts triggered a memory.  "Oh, crap.  No, no, no..."  He was still muttering "no's" under his breath as he pushed past Akane and hurried into the house.  She followed, nearly running into him as he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

                There were quite a number of people in the living room, including two figures that hadn't been seen for a long time.  One was a short, portly man with incredibly large ears.  He was seated back a little ways from everyone else, as if he were there more for silent support than to actually take part.  Kasumi was there as well, her ever-cheerful smile an incongruous note among all the other expressions.  Soun and Genma were also present; Akane's father seemed a little uncomfortable, but his main response to the visitors looked to be determined opposition.  Genma was in panda form in one corner, playing inconspicuously with a tire.  And the last occupant of the room...

                "Hello, Ranma," Kaori Daikoku said calmly.  "It's been a long time."

***************

                Only because he had been expecting this did Ranma recognize her.  Her long brown hair, once straight, was now styled into curls.  Previously he had only seen her wear an elaborate wedding kimono and her Martial Arts Takeout uniform.  Here and now, she was dressed like an ordinary teenage girl, in a pleasant blouse and skirt combination.

                Given the vibes Ranma was getting from this situation, she might as well have sported a set of combat fatigues.

                "Kaori."  He paused for a moment, as if to gather his strength, then asked, "Why're you here?"

                "Because I made a mistake, a long time ago.  I walked away when I shouldn't have."  Kaori took a deep breath, steeling herself.  Even for a determined, take-charge kind of girl like her, saying something like this so flatly was difficult.  And she didn't suppose it was going to be all that easy for him, either, just having her reappear out of nowhere and immediately come out with this.  Nevertheless, Kaori had thought long and hard, and had decided this was probably the best approach to take.  Get the initial shock over with quickly, as when one jumps headlong into cold water.  "You were promised to be my husband.  My father and I are here now to see that promise made good."

                Ranma gazed with disgust at the sweating panda in the corner, and didn't say anything.  Akane spoke up.  "Excuse me, but you _lost the Martial Arts Takeout Race.  You said you'd give up on Ranma if I beat you!"_

                Kaori shifted her gaze to Akane, who in spite of herself took a step backward.  She'd never seen such a look of cold disgust and disdain.  "I offered to stand aside because it looked like you had some feelings for Ranma.  I already admitted I made a mistake.  And I'm going to correct it."

                "Young lady, the only 'mistake' was the one made by Genma, when he made that ridiculous agreement with your father!  Akane is Ranma's rightful fiancée," Soun declared, for the third time since Kaori's arrival at his home.  "You can't just walk in here and demand he leave with you!"

                "I'm not demanding anything, Mr. Tendo.  I'm offering."

                "Offering?" Soun asked, confused.  The panda in the corner pricked up its ears, misunderstanding where Kaori was going with this.

                "Yes.  Offering to Ranma an honorable way out of his situation here," Kaori returned flatly.

                "That's ridiculous!" Soun blustered.  "You make it sound as if he isn't happy to be here!"

                Kaori shrugged.  "Well, I suppose he could be... if he's a complete masochist."  She turned to face her theoretical fiancé.  "May I ask a personal question, Ranma?"

                "Can't really stop you, I guess," Ranma grumbled uncharitably. 

                Kaori didn't seem phased by his attitude.  After what she had recently learned, she had gone into this fully expecting to have her work cut out for her to earn his trust.  "I notice there's a bruise on your face.  Who gave it to you?"

                A long moment of silence.  Eventually Kaori ended it herself.  "Was it the same person who usually hits you?  Who punishes you whenever you do something she doesn't like?"  She snapped her head around to face Akane again, though still supposedly speaking to Ranma.  "Who once gave you a head injury that left you with amnesia?"

                She looked away from the now-seething youngest Tendo, sweeping her gaze around the room.  No-one else tried to meet her eyes.  "I guess that's answer enough.  We'll be leaving now.  Ranma, I'll see you in class tomorrow."

***************

                There was silence between Kaori and her father until they left the streets of Nerima behind them.  At last, Tetsuro sighed and said, "It looks like you were right."

                "Weren't you convinced before now, Father?"

                "I had hoped it was mostly exaggeration.  Most of what you heard came second- or third-hand."

                "But there was so much of it.  You _can't have that much smoke without some fire," Kaori said.  "And the worst of it was from reliable sources."_

                "I'm still not too happy about how you broke into those offices to retrieve Ranma's medical records," her father protested weakly.  Kaori gave him a glare, and he sighed in defeat.  "I know, I know, with something this big the end justifies the means.  But still..."

                " 'But still' nothing!  Ranma is my fiancé.  I gave up before because I thought I didn't have a chance.  You and I BOTH should have taken more time to check out the situation back then before we made any agreements.  We would have saved ourselves dishonor and my fiancé a great deal of pain.

                "And now that we know how things really are..."  Kaori stared straight ahead, with determination burning in her eyes.  "I won't give up again.  And I most definitely will not lose."

***************

                The door to Ucchan's swung inward, and a familiar pigtailed figure trudged through.

                It was still early afternoon, but the after-school rush had subsided by now.  Only a handful of customers were present at the moment.  Ranma made his way over and sat down at his usual seat in front of the grill.  "Hey, Ucchan," he groaned.

                "Hey yourself," Ukyo returned quietly, her usual welcoming smile missing as she gave her fiancé a good long look.  No bruises, contusions, or lacerations to be seen (the one he'd received earlier had faded by now), but his expression and general demeanor made it clear that he wasn't feeling too happy.  "Hard day?"

                "Yeah," he replied.  "Could I get a coupla house specials, please?"

                "Coming right up."  Ukyo turned to the grill and whipped out the requested okonomiyaki, passing each to Ranma as it was done.

                Once he'd finished, Ranma sighed.  "Thanks, Ucchan.  Man, today started out so good, and then it went straight in the toilet."

                This was hardly a surprise to Ukyo.  It wasn't exactly uncommon, to have him come in here when the usual chaos had him feeling a bit down.  "So what happened?"

                Briefly Ranma wondered again whether this was such a good idea, telling Ukyo himself that another fiancée had appeared.  He came to the same conclusion as before; she was going to find out anyway tomorrow, if Kaori really was going to be joining their class at Furinkan.  Better he should explain this now, in a way that made sure Ukyo's anger would be focused on the right person.  "Just another stupid mistake of Pop's."

                Ukyo didn't say anything in response to this.  After a minute Ranma resumed speaking.  "Y'know, I was about five or six when he took me away from home for good, Ucchan.  You an' I met not long after that.  But before then, he took me on a lot of little trips, even one when I was still just a baby.  And one day..."

                He went on to tell the tale of Genma's 'deal' with Tetsuro Daikoku to marry him to Kaori, and the father-daughter duo's appearance a few months before Ukyo arrived in Nerima.  How he'd used his girl form to keep Kaori from winning a Martial Arts Takeout race, which had forced them to leave Nerima again.

                "Except now she's back," Ranma said glumly.  "Came by the dojo and said she wasn't gonna give up this time.  As if I needed any more junk like this in my life!"

                "No, you've certainly got more than enough fiancées after you already, don't you Ranchan?"

                There was something a little odd about Ukyo's tone, but there was no way Ranma was going to catch subtle details like that in his current mood.  "Yeah, you said it.  Just when I was in a good mood about Kodachi getting out of the picture, too."

                "So what're things like back at the Tendo place, now that this girl's showed up again?"

                Ranma made the face of one who bites into a lemon in the dark, thinking it to be a tangerine.  "Don't ask.  Y'know, there's a _reason I'm not there right now."_

                "You've really had a rough day, haven't you."  Ukyo turned back to the grill and began cooking another okonomiyaki, a jumbo-sized one with plenty of extra toppings.  "Have another okonomiyaki."

                "Thanks, Ucchan.  You're the best," Ranma said.

                Ukyo watched quietly as he ate.  Once he'd finished, she spoke up.  "You know, Ranchan, this Kaori person doesn't have to be a problem."

                "Huh?  What do you mean?"

                "I mean there's a real simple way you could get her to leave you alone.  It wouldn't solve all your problems, but it'd help with some others too."

                A note of wariness entering his voice, Ranma asked, "What's that?"

                Ukyo stared him straight in the eyes.  The fact that she hadn't smiled once during his visit finally registered in some dim corner of his mind.  She took a deep breath, and said, "Choose.  All you have to do is say which fiancée you want to be with.  You make that choice and mean it, and the others will have to give up.  Maybe not right that instant, but you show them you mean it, and they won't hang on forever."

                Ranma massaged his forehead with both hands, politely hiding a grimace of weariness.  "I kinda doubt it'd work out that smoothly, Ucchan.  But guess maybe I should take some time and think about it."  He got up.  "Tendos have probably cooled down enough for me to head back now.  See ya in class tomorrow."

                "Sit.  Down."

                The tone of absolute command had him back on his stool and blinking in shock.  There was a long moment of near-silence, broken only by the hushed movements of Ukyo's remaining few customers as they slipped quietly out the door.  One considerate regular flipped the sign from 'open' to 'closed' behind him.

                "How many times, Ranma?" Ukyo said at last.  "How many times have you come here, scarfed down a free meal while I listened to your troubles, and then, when you were feeling better, you headed on back to the Tendo dojo?"

                She actually seemed to be waiting for an answer.  Eventually Ranma said, "Wha--" 

                "Too damn many!" Ukyo interrupted.  "Do you think I _like_ this, Ranchan?  You think this is _fun for me, staying here, being there for you when you need me, and when you don't you go waltzing back to the people who hurt you in the first place?!  The people who use you and dump on you and treat you like crap?!"_

                "It ain't like that!" Ranma protested.

                "The HELL it's not!!  You know what your problem is?!  You grew up with Genma, so you think this junk is no big deal!  Well, let me tell you, Ranma, everybody has their limits.  Even you.  You keep putting up with all the garbage in your life, and thinking it's no problem, you're a tough guy, a man among men, you can handle it.  But sooner or later everything's going to blow up in your face.  Nobody can keep going forever without getting support from other people!"

                "I'm telling you it ain't like that!"

                Ranma's outburst heralded another uncomfortable moment of silence, as Ukyo seemed to struggle with herself, trying to decide whether to say something or hold it back.  The battle was short-lived.

                "No, it really isn't, is it, Ranma?  You _do have some people who prop you up, tell you it's okay, that they care about you."  Ukyo's words came quickly now, and harshly.  "You come by and I do everything I can to make you feel better, hell, feel _loved_, and when you do, when you've dumped all your troubles on me, you go right back to that DAMN __BITCH AKANE TENDO!!"_

                "That's ENOUGH, Ukyo!" Ranma yelled, but his outrage faltered and died in the face of Ukyo's fury.

                "It is NOT enough!  Do you know how tired I am of getting pushed into the background?  Of giving and giving for you, while she takes and takes and TAKES?!  Of watching, while you fight for her and she calls you a pervert, while you and EVERYBODY treat her like a precious little princess that can't ever be disappointed or not get her way?  Do you know how much this hurts, Ranma?!

                "You remember that swim meet last year?  I'm a great swimmer.  I wanted to represent our class.  But then Akane, who CAN'T EVEN FLOAT, butts in, and I'm pushed completely out of the picture.  You jump in and try to teach Her Majesty how to swim, and when she fails, you figure out a way for her to cheat her way to victory!  And I just had to put on my cute face and pretend like it didn't matter.

                "Well, it mattered, Ranma.  It mattered a LOT!!"

                Ukyo's anger ran out then, leaving her trembling and drawing ragged breaths.  " 'No man is an island.'  I remember that from some English class.  You've got people supporting you, but you almost never give back.  There's nobody there for me when I need someone.  And I... I can't take it anymore."

                She gulped.  "Ranma... I... I l- love you."  Even now, it was hard to say.  "But I'm not going to throw my life away for nothing.  I'm not going to keep being a free ear and a free meal to you unless we're on the same page.  I want you to go now.  And don't come back unti--"  She stopped herself, then deliberately said, "_unless_ you're ready to say our engagement is for real."

                Ranma opened his mouth to protest, though he had no clue what he was going to say.  "GO!" Ukyo cried, losing most of what remained of her composure.  It was clear that the storm of tears was not far off.

                He took the action that came naturally to a Saotome male, and fled.

***************

                The afternoon sun had nearly sunk below the horizon.  What light remained was blood-red, and woven through with long shadows.  The streets weren't far from empty; what few pedestrians were there, were mostly hurrying back to their houses and apartments, perhaps for a home-cooked meal and the comforts of light, warmth, and company, perhaps to shower and change clothes before leaving again for a dinner date.

                This hour marked a short interval of peace for many places in Nerima.  Take, for example, the various parks.  In daylight there would be plenty of visitors to enjoy these oases of green in the middle of the concrete sprawl.  During the later evening hours, numerous couples would come in search of different commodities, such as privacy and seclusion.  But for now, the grounds were silent, except for the sound of the wind through leaves.

                In all but one park, anyway.

                In the fading light, a casual observer would have blinked hard and rubbed his eyes, unsure of how many people he was actually watching.  In point of fact there was only one to be seen, a young man in black pants and a Chinese shirt the color of the sunset, with dark hair bound into a pigtail that was all but invisible in the gloom.  The young man in question was dancing through the shadows, warding off blows and returning his own to opponents that existed only in his mind's eye.  But so convincing were his motions that the hypothetical observer might almost have imagined he or she _did_ see a procession of faceless figures dancing with the one artist of flesh and bone, now striking, now defending, but never with quite enough grace to match his.

                Though he moved with such control and fluidity, one glance at Ranma's face would be enough to dispel any illusion of tranquility or joy.  There was an unusually hard cast to his features; his mouth was set in a bitter grimace, and his eyes were suspiciously bright in the dimness.  He'd been training for quite a long time.  It had been enough to keep the thoughts at bay, at first, but they were sneaking back now to the front of his awareness.

                '_Guess I always knew this was comin' some day.'  A spin kick deflected the blade of an opponent's bokken, and the follow-up punch struck the target squarely in its face.  '__Same thing I've seen over and over.'  Bending like a reed in the wind allowed a blow from a sai to pass harmlessly by him.  '_I'm Ranma Saotome, after all._'  An elbow struck the solar plexus of the foe behind him, who was off-balance from the failed sai-strike.  '_I can get all the fiancées I want._'  He launched into a fierce whirl of Amaguriken-speed kicks, demolishing the remaining attackers.  Gasping and panting, Ranma came to a halt near a large tree.  He leaned against it for a moment, then sank slowly down to sit on the ground with the trunk supporting his back.  Finally, in a whisper, he completed the thought out loud:  "Just not friends."_

                He closed his eyes and sat there, as the shades of night lengthened around him.  What he should have said to Ukyo, what he would have liked to have said, what he never could have thought to say in the stress of the moment... all these things danced through his mind.

                "You aren't bein' fair, Ucchan," he muttered to the wind.  "Did you ever ask me what I wanted?  Ever stop and think I may not _want_ a fiancée just yet?  Ever wonder if I might not be ready for that kinda stuff?  Growin' up on the road, with just Pop for company... how come none of ya ever think about what that means?  I don't know how to deal with all this stuff!  I just keep going along and hopin' I can find a way to work it out without hurting anybody."

                He gave a shuddering sigh.  "All I want right now is some friends.  Is that too much to ask for?"  No reply from the twilight.  He answered his own question.  "Sure looks like it.  All the guys wanna kick my head in and the girls want to drag me to the altar.

                "And you wonder why I'd rather put up with Akane's violence."  Ranma shook his head, more angry than hurt for this moment.  "I don't appreciate that junk you said today, Ucchan.  Sure she hits me and calls me stupid names, and no, I don't like it, but at least she don't try to control me.  Akane's the only one outta the whole lot of you who isn't trying to force me into something I'm not ready for."

                Ranma fell silent then, brooding.  A stray thought did tickle the corners of his mind... ~_does she ask you what you want?~  He pushed it aside as irrelevant.  Saying those things out loud had let out enough of the anger that his deeper feelings of hurt had taken the foreground again._

                He didn't want to... but he remembered.  Remembered again the carefree days he'd had with Ukyo, back when they were six years old and he didn't have a clue about the gender difference.  The memories came more clearly now than they had in a long time.  Rough-and-tumble games of tag under the bright sunlight.  The delicious taste of a well-made okonomiyaki--some of the best food he could remember eating during the whole decade-long training trip.  The frustration and triumph of dealing with the Gambling King.  That debacle with her secret sauce... he hurriedly pushed his way past those images.

                "That's what I wanted to hold onto, you know," he muttered bitterly.  "I wanted a friend, not another fiancée.  Don't try and make me feel guilty about that.  I'm already feeling bad enough as it is.  Didn't want to lose my buddy Ucchan today, that's for sure."

                He sat quietly for a time.  At last, Ranma got up, and began making his way through the shadow-drenched trees.  "Maybe it won't be that bad," he muttered.  "I've never seen her anywhere near that pushy over the whole engagement thing.  Maybe she was just in a bad mood or something, and hearin' about another fiancée showing up kinda pushed her over the edge.  Maybe if I give her a little time to cool off, she'll go back to normal.  Heck, maybe she'll even come and apologize to me."

                Feeling a little better now, and resolving to let Ukyo make the next move (surely after she'd had some time to think about it and start missing him, she'd realize how unfair all those things she'd said were), he jumped the park fence, landing in the welcome glow of a streetlight, and began the walk toward the Tendo home.

***************

                Considering how little Ranma was looking forward to school the next day, it might seem surprising that he and Akane arrived there earlier than usual.  However, there are reasons behind even the most seemingly-improbable of events.  In this particular case, Kasumi had taken a moment to wake Ranma up herself, rather than entrust the task to Akane.  She might prefer to turn an oblivious eye to the typical chaos in the household, but she wasn't _that_ blind.  Ranma didn't deserve to have to deal with little sister's current mood first thing in the morning.

                And so Ranma had woken up early, earlier than he ever did on days when he and Genma didn't have morning practice.  Breakfast had been a quick and silent affair. Genma and Soun had spent the evening drowning their woes over Kaori's return, and Ranma's father was now too hung-over even to attempt a 'speed training' duel over the contents of their plates.

                The earliness of the start toward Furinkan was then compounded by the actual walk.  Or perhaps the 'stalk' might be a better word.  No words were exchanged between Akane and Ranma... the former hurried along at a speed that suggested she would rather leave her companion behind; the latter kept pace easily enough, but maintained a healthy distance between them.  And with no random transformations to slow Ranma down, the long and short of it was they both arrived at Furinkan with more time to spare than ever before.

                Kaori had still managed to beat them there, however.  She was waiting in front of the main doors.

                Ranma glanced upward toward his classroom.  Just his luck that none of the windows were open yet.  Akane had stopped on seeing the other girl, and was now standing still and glowering at her.  Ranma slipped past the youngest Tendo, and focused his eyes straight on the door.  Maybe if he didn't make eye contact now, Kaori might let it go for the moment.

                "Good morning, Ranma," Kaori said, giving him a smile.  Not a sultry look, not a devious smirk, not a challenging grin... just a friendly, welcoming, maybe even understated smile.

                "Kaori," he sighed.  "So you meant it about transferring to Furinkan."

                She inclined her head.  "Of course I did."

                "Excuse _me_," Akane said acidly, walking forward again, pushing past Ranma and heading toward the school.  "_Some_ of us might not want to be late to class.  Why don't I just leave you two alone."

                "Hey, I don't wanna get stuck on bucket duty either!" Ranma exclaimed, seizing onto the excuse.

                "Wait, Ranma.  Please?  This won't take long," Kaori said before he could take more than a couple of steps.  "The first bell hasn't even rung yet.  You won't be late."

                "What is it?" he asked resignedly.

                Kaori sent a cool gaze flickering toward Akane, who had stopped as well and was watching the exchange.  Then she returned her attention to Ranma.  "I just wanted to say, I know you have to deal with a lot of stress here."  The nurse's records she'd 'retrieved' from the Furinkan office had made that fairly clear.  "I don't know what kind of strange place this is."  The Hawaiian setup, complete with trained guard crabs and booby-trapped coconuts, had been an unwelcome shock during her nocturnal raid on the school.  "But I'll try not to cause any trouble for you."

***************

                She was still far from happy, but the edge of Akane's anger had been blunted.  She and Ranma were now walking homeward from a day that hadn't been nearly as bad as Akane had expected.  True, Kaori did manage to worm her way into class with Ranma, but the Martial Arts Takeout girl had been assigned an empty seat clear on the other side of the classroom.  Akane smiled thinly.  Right next to a couple of incorrigible chatterbox girls, in fact.  Watching Miss Hinako get fed up and drain them, incidentally catching Kaori in the wake of her technique, had given Akane quite a bit of guilty satisfaction.  She'd never expected to be GLAD the principal had moved Miss Hinako up to keep pace with Ranma when he and Akane had entered their second year.

                There had been one other pleasant surprise as well.  Akane knew Ranma had gone to Ukyo the prior day, and told her about Kaori.  She had expected that today the chef would be all over her fiancé, clinging to him and plying him with her stupid oh-so-delicious okonomiyaki.  She'd been looking for a few cutting remarks to be tossed her way as well, about how much better off Ranma honey would be away from the Tendo dojo.

                None of that had happened, though.  Ukyo had stayed well away, not even making eye contact with Ranma as far as Akane had noticed.  One less thing to stress her out.  Add that to the fact that Ranma hadn't tried to flirt with Kaori at all so far, and her temper was actually getting pretty close to cooling down completely.

                She risked a glance toward Ranma.  He was looking down at the pavement, rather sullenly too, she thought.  It didn't look like he was feeling all that great himself.  After hesitating for a moment, Akane said, "R- Ranma."  She heard the catch in her voice and mentally winced.  '_Honestly!  Like I've got any reason to be nervous!_'  However, Ranma didn't seem to have noticed.  Feeling thankful, Akane swallowed, then spoke again, louder and more steadily.  "Ranma."

                The youngest Tendo frowned as her fiancé just continued to trudge along.  That he hadn't noticed the first time was grounds for relief.  Ignoring her this time was not.  "Hey, dummy!" she said, her voice rising to just below a shout.

                "What is it, tomboy?!" Ranma snapped, his attention successfully caught.

                "Well, EXCUSE ME!" Akane returned as the wind breathed new life into the embers of her recent anger.  "Just because you're in a bad mood, don't take it out on me!"

                "Geez, if _that_ ain't a case of the pot calling the kettle black, I don't know what is," Ranma grumbled.  "You'd be in a bad mood too if your oldest friend ditched you yesterday and ignored you all day at school today!"

                "What's that supposed to ..." Akane's mouth closed into a grim line.  "This is about Ukyo, isn't it!"

                "What d'you care anyway," Ranma said unhappily.

                "You jerk!  I can't believe this!  You're down in the dumps because your _cute fiancée wasn't all over you today?!"_

                "Look, I never asked for this!" Ranma yelled back at her.  "You wanna know what happened at Ucchan's yesterday, Akane?  Huh?!  I told her about Kaori, and the next thing you know she's tellin' me she's sick an' tired of waitin' around, and not to come back there until I'm ready to 'take the engagement seriously'!"

                "Oh, and I'm sure that was just _terrible_ news... oh, wait, that would mean you'd have to quit freeloading off us, and give up on Shampoo, and Kodachi, and Kaori too!  Oh Ranma, you really _did_ have a bad day!"

                "DAMMIT!" Ranma roared.  "She's my FRIEND, Akane!  I ain't got too many of those, in case you hadn't noticed!  Am I not supposed to have any others than you?!  Huh?!  Is that it?!"

                "RANMA, YOU--What did you just say?!" Akane asked, her eyes bugging out comically.

                "What, are you deaf too?  I asked if you think I'm not allowed ta have any other friends than you!"

                "But... I... you... that is... really... you..."  The fact that she was babbling inanely registered.  Akane clamped her mouth shut and just stared at Ranma, who for his part was beginning to feel anxiety dilute his unhappiness.  What was the big deal with Akane now?

                Did he mean that?  The thought whirled dizzyingly through Akane's mind.  '_He... he said it so plainly... like it wasn't any big deal at all.  Doesn't he know... how much time I spend wondering if he even cares...'  At that point her self-deception filters kicked in, forcibly shunting her train of thought onto a slightly different track.  '__He really does think of Ukyo like a friend.  And she wouldn't be that for him...'_

                Akane gulped.  "Ranma... I'm sorry."

                He blinked, and then blinked again.  "What'd you say?"

                "I said I'm sorry.  I'm sorry you had a bad day.  I'm sorry I was yelling at you.  I'm sorry Ukyo hurt your feelings."  That last statement was true, even if part of Akane was also smiling broadly over just what the chef had done, and what Ranma hadn't.

                "Go on," Ranma prompted her as she fell silent.

                "What's that supposed to mean?"  Akane gave him a hurt look.  Here she was trying to apologize and everything!

                "You left something out.  Ain'tcha also sorry about Kaori showing up to cause me more trouble?"

                She actually giggled.  "That too.  But I didn't want to list all the fiancées.  I mean, we'd be here all day!"

                Ranma sighed at the reminder.  "Y'know, I really wish you weren't right."

                Only sympathy was in Akane's eyes now as she looked at Ranma.  He really was feeling down about all this stuff.  '_Well, I'll do something about that.  What are friends for?'  And if there was a false note in that last clause of thought, Akane's self-deception filters strained it out before it reached her conscious mind.  "Cheer up, Ranma."  For a moment she hesitated, wondering whether she should say the next part now, or leave it as a surprise.  Then she realized... she wanted to make him feel better right away.  "I'll cook something really good for you tonight.  What would you like me to make?"_

                That's the trouble with self-deception filters.  In the long run, they do more harm than good.

                Ranma paled, twitched, and searched desperately for an excuse.  "Ah... ah... no, Akane, don't waste your time like that!  I'm not gonna have any appetite tonight.  So you shouldn't cook.  I mean, you REALLY shouldn't cook."

                Some things no amount of self-deception can block.  Akane's face flushed, and her hands clenched into fists... and then she deflated.  '_He may be a jerk, but he's a jerk who's in a bad mood.  And... he's my friend...'  With a significantly greater measure of wisdom than she usually managed, Akane realized, '_I need to do what _he_ would want, if I want him to feel better._'  The wisdom blew a fuse.  '_I'm sure I could cook him a great meal,_' the fuse was replaced, '__but he'll feel better _now_ if Kasumi's going to be the one doing it.'_

                Aloud, she said, "Okay, Ranma.  Tell you what.  I'll ask Kasumi to make sukiyaki tonight.  That's one of your favorites, isn't it?  Think that'll bring back your appetite?"

                Shock at her reaction succeeded in washing Ranma's unhappiness completely away.

***************

                A week passed, relatively quietly.

                Akane had to admit, she was surprised that Kaori kept her word.  The Martial Arts Takeout girl didn't cause any trouble for Ranma at school, and that was the only time they saw her.  More often than not, she would find some excuse during the day to talk to him for a few minutes, and _that was aggravating, and one day she offered to share her lunch, but she didn't act like it was a big deal when Ranma wormed his way out of it.  Still, Akane couldn't shake the feeling that the other girl was just biding her time._

***************

                Kasumi glanced over, giving Akane a cheerful smile as her younger sister entered the kitchen.  "Good afternoon, Akane."

                "Hello, Kasumi."  Akane glanced around the kitchen.  "Um, you haven't started dinner yet, have you?  Is it too late to ask you to make something in particular tonight?"

                The oldest Tendo daughter's smile widened.  There had been several days last week when Akane had asked for Kasumi to fix some food Ranma particularly liked for dinner.  It was so nice, seeing her little sister do something so kind and thoughtful for her fiancé, instead of giving him food poisoning and reducing Kasumi's kitchen to a war zone!

                This was the first time this week that Akane had made one of these requests, though.  Kasumi supposed that whatever had put the slight grimace of unhappiness on her sister's face must also have made for a hard day for Ranma.  Well, she would be happy to cook a dinner that would cheer both of them up.  "Of course not, Akane.  What would you like me to prepare?"

                "I was thinking seven-herb lasagna, with garlic bread."

                Kasumi frowned faintly.  "Oh my.  I don't believe Ranma cares for that dish very much, little sister."

                "I kn- I mean, oh, really?"  Akane covered her initial reaction with a ruse that wouldn't fool a two-year-old.  "Well... I'm really in the mood for Italian food tonight, Kasumi.  Could you fix it anyway?  I'm sure Ranma won't mind."  She didn't want to yell at him, and she wasn't going to hit him.  Having something he didn't like for dinner was the _least_ he deserved, as far as Akane was concerned.

                "All right.  Seven-herb lasagna it is, then."  Kasumi walked over to a counter, retrieving a pencil and a pad of paper.  She tore a sheet from the latter and began to write.  "Where is Ranma, anyway?" she wondered absently.

                Akane flushed, glad her sister wasn't looking her way.  "He had some studying to do," she grumbled.  '_Honestly, I can't believe him!  How could he buy into that lame excuse Kaori gave him?!  'Oh, Ranma, if it weren't for you I wouldn't be here at Furinkan in the first place!  You _have_ to help me get caught up in class!'  Hmmph.  Serves her right if Ranma's 'help' earns her an 'F' anyway,_' Akane thought grumpily.

                "Oh.  I thought he might have gone by Ukyo's after school," Kasumi said.

                Akane wondered for a moment whether her sister had upped her dosage of happy pills or something.  "Um, no, Kasumi, remember I told you that Ukyo dumped him?"

                "I remember," Kasumi said, somehow managing to sound both sweet and grave at the same time.  "I just thought Ranma might have tried to make it up to her, at least as a friend.  I'm sure he wasn't happy to have her walk right out of his life like that.  Even if they did want two different things."

                Akane shrugged.  "He's getting over it."  Ranma still seemed pained at the way Ukyo continued to ignore him, but unlike that business with Shampoo and the Reversal Jewel, he hadn't done anything stupid to try to win her back.  A BIG plus in Akane's book.  "Besides, it's not like he's really missing anything.  One fiancée finally gives up, big deal.  Another showed up even before it could happen."

                "I see."  Kasumi filled her current sheet of paper and moved onto the next.  "Poor Ranma."

                "Oh, like he doesn't get a kick out of embarrassing me anyway," Akane muttered under her breath.  She glowered in silence for another minute or so, then said louder,  "Thanks for making that tonight, Kasumi.  I'll see you later--I'm going over to Sayuri's house for the afternoon."

                "Oh, wait, Akane.  I need you to go to the market and pick up some things for dinner."

                Akane turned back around and walked over.   "Oh.  Okay, big sister.  What things?"

                Kasumi handed her several sheets of paper covered with her neat, meticulous handwriting.  "Here.  You might have some trouble finding some of these ingredients, so I've listed directions to various stalls that should have them.  The vendors know me by name, so if you tell them you're my sister you should be able to haggle your way to a good price.

                "Mrs. Hanabi keeps the best general selection for many of the herbs, but don't try to bargain with her until after you've listened to her talk about her grandchildren for a few minutes.  Mr. Fujiwara has the best mushrooms you can find in our market, but if you let him he'll spend an hour trying to convince you to use shiitake instead of portobellos.  The best way to handle him is to say you'd really like to try the recipe both ways, to see for yourself, but you can't afford it.  He'll give you the shiitake mushrooms for free, and you can trade them at your next stop to Mrs. Onamura for the ricotta..."

                Akane listened dazedly, fighting a feeling of dizziness, and wondered whether it was too late to forget about this and just let Ranma's irritating behavior slide.

***************

                Shinji leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and tried to let the smooth motion of the bullet train relax him.  It would be a long time before the train arrived at his station... better to pass that interval in a nap, if he could.  However, he was only able to hold out for a minute before one eyelid lifted, _just_ enough to permit vision, and his rogue eyeball shifted, _just_ enough to catch sight of a certain reflection in the window beside him.

                A girl was seated not too far away, a couple of rows behind Shinji and on the opposite side of the train car.  It seemed a little odd to him that she would have taken the aisle seat and left the one next to the window vacant, but since her position made it possible to study her reflection, he wasn't complaining at all.  The train was currently passing through the darkness of a tunnel, and so the window served to reflect a clear image of her face.  She had the look of a proud beauty, with striking features that made Shinji think of a warrior-princess he'd seen in an anime not too long ago.  From his current vantage point, he could see only the smallest portion of her hair, but from the earlier episode when she'd left her seat and walked to another car of the train, Shinji knew it trailed all the way down her back in a glorious mane of purple.  And when she'd returned to her seat, carrying a steaming cup of tea, he'd gotten quite a nice look at some very appealing curves.

                She was clearly a gaijin, Chinese specifically unless he missed his guess, but Shinji didn't come from a particularly traditional family.  He would be quite content to while away the time chatting with a pretty girl of any nationality.  The only reason he hesitated now was a certain wariness, a sense that _this girl might be a little bit more than he was capable of handling._

                Abandoning any pretense of disinterest, he studied the reflection more closely.  On further scrutiny, it seemed as if there was a hint of a smile on the girl's lips, a softness to the gleam in her eyes that he hadn't noticed before.  Still a proud beauty, no question about that, but perhaps not so unapproachable as he had first thought.

                As is often the case with teenage boys, it was his hormones that ultimately made the decision.

                Shinji got to his feet, and crossed the distance between himself and the girl.  As he arrived next to her, he noticed that she had apparently put some sort of vaguely horrible-looking mannequin in the seat next to her.  Perhaps it was something conceived along the lines of a Western scarecrow, he mused, except designed to frighten away demons and evil spirits.  Certainly it looked grim enough for that.  Turning his eyes back to more appealing sights, Shinji cleared his throat, hoping to start a pleasant conversation with the finest babe he'd seen in a month.

                It's generally not a good idea to interrupt Cologne when she is meditating.  The Matriarch's eyes snapped open, and she turned to face the interloper with a scowl.  "Did you want something, sonny boy?" she asked in an ominous tone.

                Shinji turned and fled.  But at least he didn't run screaming.

                "Same as all the rest of perverted Japanese boys," Shampoo muttered.  "Shampoo think Airen is only real man in whole country."  The hints of softness that had so erroneously encouraged Shinji became more pronounced.  "Wonder how much he miss Shampoo while we gone these weeks."

                Her great-grandmother didn't reply, having already closed her eyes once more.  Shampoo answered the question in the privacy of her own mind.  '_If he have to eat violent pervert girl's cooking much while Shampoo not around to save him, Airen probably be _very_ glad to see me come back.'  She smiled, a grin that tried to be secretive, yet had pride leaking out around the edges.  '_Wonder what he think of surprise Shampoo have for him._'_

                She looked down at her hands, folded in her lap.  They had always been the hands of a warrior, slim and feminine to be sure, but strong and capable, with the calluses that were an inevitable result of a lifetime of dedicated training.  Only Shampoo herself could make out the difference now--a few extra scars, tiny ones here and there, nothing noticeable.  Certainly nothing disfiguring.

                Nothing at all to indicate to a casual observer that she'd spent two weeks thrusting her hands into an open fire, trying desperately to grab roasting chestnuts before she herself was cooked.

                '_Hope you be proud, Airen.  One thing for sure... you know who is real warrior, out of girls after you heart.  Is not spatula girl.  Is for sure not violent pervert what think best way to win is cheat with super strength noodle.  Is Amazon who not afraid to shed blood and sweat and tears, learn new things, keep challenging self as warrior.'_

                Shampoo thought back to the training her beloved had undergone to learn the Chestnut Fist.  She smiled again, a gentle, rebuking look directed to the still-distant object of her affections, as she remembered the stress poor Ranma had suffered.  Admittedly, he (or was that she?) had learned the move more quickly than Shampoo had.  But as Shampoo thought back to the trials the Matriarch had inflicted upon Ranma, and compared them to her own recent memories of her great-grandmother soothing her burns with a special Amazon medicinal balm, she knew which path to mastery _she would rather take.  "One of these days, Airen, you realize just how much Great-Grandmother already do for you," she whispered.  "Someday you even see how much better would be, to come willing and with respect.  Shampoo hope is soon."_

***************

                By the time they'd walked three-quarters of the way home from school, in silence, and without Akane ever looking his way, even Ranma was able to catch a clue that something might be wrong.  '_Why's she givin' me this silent treatment?' he wondered.  '__I haven't done anything to tick her off, have I?'  He thought back over the day.  He was just about certain he hadn't said anything insulting, and he hadn't fought anyone, not even Kuno, so it wasn't like she could be mad at him for 'bullying the weak'.  '_Maybe she ain't mad at me, though.  Maybe she's just worried about something_.'_

                Rather than ponder it any longer, Ranma took his usual direct approach to a problem.  He'd been walking a few paces to one side and a little behind Akane.  Ranma picked up his pace, moving in front, turned to face her, and stopped, studying her expression.  Not very conclusive, he decided--she didn't look like she was happy, but it wasn't the angry face he'd seen so many times either.  "Yo, Akane, what's wrong?"

                " 'What's wrong?'  Why should anything be wrong?" Akane asked, in a tone that even Ranma recognized as sarcastic.

                "Well, you haven't said a word to me or even looked my way this whole time.  It's almost like you're mad at me or something.  Which wouldn't be all that unusual except for the fact that I ain't done anything lately."

                "Oh, no, of course you haven't done anything, nothing at ALL to hurt my feelings, right Ranma?  Why would it bother me how you're spending all this time on your stupid study dates with your cute new fiancée Kaori?"  The same girl that had as good as called her a murderess in training.  And did her fiancé stick up for her?  '_Hah!  They probably spend half their time with her talking bad about me, and him thanking her for being so nice and cute and sweet and a good cook!_'

                Well, at least now he knew what the problem was.  It was just Akane getting the wrong idea about him and another girl.  Like he wasn't familiar with that song and dance.  "Geez, Akane, usually whenever you start blamin' me for something I didn't even do, you're at least HALF right.  Like, when Shampoo tries to get me to go on a date with her, at least there's SOMEONE trying to get the thing going that ticked you off."  He snorted.  "This time you ain't even got that much right.  I've met with her three times, and all we do is go over stupid school stuff.  Even a tomboy like you shouldn't get jealous of a _date_," he rolled his eyes as he said the last word, "like that."

                "Do you really think I'm that stupid, Ranma?!" Akane demanded.  "Well, I've got news for you.  I'm not dumb enough to believe she'd go to the worst student in the school to help her!  If you're going to lie to my face about how innocent this all is, you could at least try and think up a better story."

                "Man, is there EVER a time you could jump to a conclusion, and you don't?" Ranma complained.  "I know I ain't the greatest at all that school stuff, Akane.  Thanks for throwin' it back in my face, by the way.  And yeah, Kaori did figure that out the first time we met.  Now _she's the one helping __me," he made a face, "whether I like it or not."_

                "Yeah, right.  Sure."

                "I'm serious!" Ranma insisted.  "She made me promise to keep meeting with her so she could try to help me get my grades up.  Why everybody and their dog seems to know I never skip out on a promise is more than I can figure."  That last was said in a grumbling undertone.  "And how every girl I meet knows I'm gonna cave in if she looks like she's gonna cry is another thing I'd like to find out someday."

                "Ranma, this is so stupid," Akane said bitterly, more hurt now than angry.  "She came over to our house and said to your face that she came back to go through with the engagement.  And now you're going off and meeting with her in private, and you're trying to make it look like it's nothing more than just an innocent study session?!  I'm not that dumb, Ranma, and I don't think you are either."

                "ARRGH!"  Ranma threw up his hands in frustration.  "For cryin' out loud, Akane, which one of us has had girls throwin' themselves at him for the last year?  I think I should be able to recognize it by now!  She don't flirt with me, she isn't trying to get me to do romantic stuff with her, she hasn't said ONE WORD about the engagement, heck, she ain't even offered to cook for me!  She's acting as different from Shampoo as YOU do!"

                Akane started to say something in response to this, but Ranma didn't hear it.  His attention had been riveted by an unexpected sound.  Unexpected because his keen senses had pinned it as coming from the supposedly-empty air fifty feet behind and forty feet above him.

                By the time Shampoo had opened her eyes from the sneeze, Ranma had already whirled and caught sight of her.  This was more warning than he usually got.  All too often, Shampoo would descend from the heavens like a Valkyrie who'd traded in her warhorse for a bicycle, and his first warning would be the actual shock of impact.  Here and now, though, Ranma had just enough time to spring backward into the air.

                It was a purely reflex action, rather than one made through conscious thought.  Even as he left the ground, his tactical sense picked up on an anomaly.  Namely, the path of Shampoo's descent would have brought her to a landing several feet behind him, rather than on top of him.  "Maybe the sneeze threw her aim off," he muttered.

                Even Ranma is fully capable of misjudging someone else's plan of attack.  His evasive tactics actually helped Shampoo.  The amorous airborne Amazon gave a big smile and pushed away from her bike, using it as the leverage she needed to initiate a jump directly toward her Airen.  The bicycle smashed into the ground with tremendous force, leaving an impressive crater in the street yet somehow remaining unharmed.  Meanwhile, its mistress sailed directly toward her beloved.

                Ranma would easily have been skilled enough to knock Shampoo away with a punch or kick, but one might as well talk about Ryoga seducing Akane.  As she neared him, eyes gleaming, arms spread wide for a welcoming hug, the most he could do was shoot out one hand, intending to brace his palm against the top of her head and pivot himself harmlessly around her.  His eyes widened dramatically when Shampoo's own hand whipped round, catching his wrist, pulling herself to him, and gleefully locking her arms around his torso.

                Now, in addition to the usual confusing ways Shampoo's full-body embraces made him feel, Ranma was also shooting completely uncontrolled through the air.  He closed his eyes and braced himself, not looking forward to the moment when he'd be the one absorbing the impact for both of them.

                The pavement approached... there was a confused whirling moment of dizziness... and they landed, upright, Shampoo touching down feet-first on the street, bracing herself to take the impact.  If Ranma had had his eyes open, he might have at least reacted in time to keep the jolt from lodging his head in her cleavage.  Probably not, though... his track record with things like that wasn't very good.

                "Aiyah!  Husband must _really have missed Shampoo to give greeting like this!" the Amazon teased._

                Ranma extracted himself and staggered backward.  "Hey, Shampoo, how's it going?" he asked, with more than a hint of resignation in his tone.  Was there even a point to protesting? he wondered.  No.  It would just be a waste of breath.  "Haven't seen you for a while."

                "Shampoo miss you while gone, Airen, very much."  She winked at him.  "Want to come over to Cat Café tonight for all you can eat free dinner?  Shampoo fix all you favorite foods."

                "Excuse _me_."  Akane's tone could have flash-frozen mercury.  "I'm sure _I_ don't mind if you go off and spend the evening with Shampoo, Ranma.  But don't you think your fiancée Kaori might be a little hurt?"

                Shampoo's bubbly good humor waned noticeably.  She looked from Ranma to Akane, then back to Ranma.  "What she talking about, Airen?"

                "Oh, it's nothing important, Shampoo," Akane replied before Ranma could say anything.  "Just another fiancée showed up while you were gone, that's all.  Her name's Kaori Daikoku, and _her_ family owns a whole _chain_ of restaurants.  How many times have you two gone out this week, Ranma?  It was three, wasn't it?  Kaori sure moves fast," she said in an utterly false tone of sweetness and light.  "Well, what business is it of mine anyway?  Have a good time, you two."  This last was more growled than spoken, as Akane turned and stalked away.  But at least the anger kept her from feeling the hurt.

                "Okay, Airen, Shampoo hear that from violent girl.  Now what is real story?"  The Amazon pitched her voice loud enough that Akane couldn't possibly miss it.  Heck, people in adjacent buildings probably heard.

                "It ain't like that, that's for sure!" Ranma said vehemently.  "It's another one of those stupid promises my old man made when I was a little kid and we were wandering around on a training journey.  He was hungry, and agreed to engage me to this guy's daughter if the guy gave him a meal.  Then he skipped out with me and hoped he'd never see them again."

                Shampoo snorted so fiercely that the long tassels of her hair flopped an inch away from her chest.  "She think she can walk in now and expect to get husband like you, for stupid little price paid of one meal to panda father?!  Is insult to good man like Airen."  She gave him a piercing stare.  "And what violent girl say about dates, where she get that wrong?"

                "Huh.  Those so-called 'dates' are just her helping me with my schoolwork.  Which I don't even want anyway, but she kinda made me promise to go along with it."

                The Amazon was smiling cheerfully again.  "So she insult worth of Airen AND she waste you time.  No worry, Ranma, Shampoo know you not like to hit girls.  I go and take care of this one for you."

                "Thanks, Shampoo, I...  What!  No, you can't do that!" Ranma protested.

                "Why not?"  The dangerous gleam was back in Shampoo's eye.  "You say she nothing to you, right?"

                "That's kinda the POINT, Shampoo!  She ain't tried to get me on a date or nothing.  She hasn't caused me any trouble at all yet!"  Not counting Akane's reaction, but Ranma was sure she'd have found something else to misunderstand if Kaori hadn't been there.  "And you know, not liking to hit girls kinda means I don't want OTHER people to go hurt them FOR me, either!"

                Shampoo paused for a moment, then said decisively, "Ranma, you look Shampoo in eyes and tell how you really feel about new girl.  Take what time you need to get words right."

                It didn't take him all that long to find those words.  "I wish she hadn't come.  I don't need more complications in my life.  But since she is here, I'm at least glad that she's not trying to get all romantic or cause me trouble."

                After another few seconds of piercing scrutiny, Shampoo was satisfied.  Whoever this new girl was, or whatever she thought might be the case, she wasn't a rival.  The Amazon still intended to check this Kaori out from a distance sometime soon, just to be able to put a face to the name, but there didn't seem to be any need to take things further.  "And she not hit you, feed you poison, call you stupid names?  Okay, Airen, Shampoo leave her alone until she do something to hurt you."

***************

                Anyone who believes that one person can't make a real difference has never been to Furinkan High School, unless they visited while Principal Kuno was away in Hawaii.  The 'headmaster from Hell' was ultimately responsible for ruining the high school experience of more individuals than could be easily counted.  He took a positive delight in aggravating and attempted bullying of the student body.  And if he usually left a way for them to squirm out of the really annoying schemes, this was because it was more fun to watch them writhe and wriggle their way free.  After all, if he really _did give all the kids bad haircuts, what would he have left to threaten them the next time he was bored?_

                For some reason, Principal Kuno didn't get anywhere near the same level of enjoyment from harrassing teachers as he did the students.  When he'd first become the headmaster of Furinkan, he had had every intention of being an equal-opportunity annoyance, dedicated to giving a hard time to instructors and pupils alike.  But it just hadn't been any fun, possibly because the teachers either needed their jobs too badly to put up any fight, or didn't, and quit.  These days, Principal Kuno didn't bother trying to torment the teachers; he dragooned them into playing supporting roles when a more elaborate scheme needed extra labor, and ignored them otherwise.

                Ironically enough, however, the teachers generally hated the situation at Furinkan worse than the students.  After all, the latter could escape after three years.  Having taught at Furinkan didn't exactly spice up an educator's resume, and the longer he'd been there, the likelier he'd be there for good.  Many a naive, optimistic, idealistic young teacher, fresh out of university, had found those qualities drained from them like water from an unstoppered sink, once they were trapped in Furinkan.

                Ranma Saotome, currently sinking in a morass of adenosine triphosphates, aerobic and anaerobic respirations, and glycolipid absorption reactions, found himself wishing his biology teacher was one of them.

                "This is ridiculous!"  Ranma agreed wholeheartedly with this, but it was actually Kaori who had spoken.  This was the fourth time now that they had gotten together at her place for a study session.  "Why are we studying material of this level?!  This seems more like something we ought to get at university!"

                Ranma gave an aggrieved sigh.  "I think this is Mr. Takashi's way of fightin' back, or something.  Ain't none of the teachers who like Principal Kuno, but most of them just keep their heads down, don't make waves, and try to ignore all the junk he piles on us at school.  Far as I know, Mr. Takashi's the only one who pushes this kind of work load on his students.  He says he's doin' his best to get us ready for college.  That if we can handle stuff like this now, it'll help us then."  He snorted.  "And may the Kami have mercy on any student who tells him maybe he don't _want to go on to university."_

                "Don't you?" Kaori asked inquisitively.

                "Are you kidding?!  Bad enough I have to suffer through this junk now.  No WAY am I going to put myself through four more years or however long it is of hell!"

                "Ranma, you shouldn't look at it like that," his study companion said gently.  "You've never been to any high school other than Furinkan, have you?"  When he grunted and shook his head, she went on, "The place is a madhouse.  It's nothing like the high school I was attending before I transferred here."

                "Huh.  No pineapple-headed morons with haircut fetishes?"

                Kaori shook her head, smiling a little.  "Not a one.  No insane kendoists or chi-vampire teachers either.  Even the clubs there are normal... no chemistry nerds brewing up nitroglycerine in the back room."

                "Bet you wish you were back there sometimes," Ranma commented, absently selecting a pork bun from the plate of snacks Kaori had provided for the session, and beginning to munch.

                "Sometimes, yes.  It was a much better school than Furinkan, that's for sure.  And that's why I said you shouldn't look at university as if it will be more of the same.  It won't.  It won't be nearly as bad as this."

                "Huh.  Maybe it wouldn't be so crazy, but that just means I'd be bored outta my skull.  This kinda stuff just isn't interesting to me, Kaori."  Ranma gestured to the open biology textbook.  "I mean, look at this.  It drones on and on and on about just what chemical processes happen when a muscle contracts.  I start thinkin' about that in the middle of a fight, and next thing you know I'm gonna be on the ground taking a short nap.  Or not so short, dependin' on who I was fighting."

                "There's more to university than just this.  Really, there's more to school in general.  Or there should be."  Kaori felt a pang as she thought back to the friends she'd left behind when she came to Nerima.  "As long as you're at Furinkan, you aren't really seeing school like it should be."

                "Well, it ain't like I was given a choice about going there or not," Ranma grumbled.  "Y'know, Kaori,  you oughta go back to your old school, if you liked it a lot better than this one.  It's just gonna be a matter of time before Principal Kuno comes up with some new stupid stunt to make our lives miserable.  You wouldn't want that pretty haircut mangled or nothin', would you?"

                "N- no, I wouldn't," Kaori said, blushing faintly.  Fortunately Ranma didn't notice, as he was attending to another pork bun.  She had recovered her composure by the time he looked back at her.  "Anyway, I have it on good authority," meaning the to-do list she had found when she raided the Furinkan office a while back, "that his next scheme is going to be changing the dress code.  The boys will be wearing swim trunks, and the girls will get grass skirts and leis.  And nothing else."

                Ranma gave a strangled sound of apprehension.  That'd nail him both coming and going.  "Definitely gonna be time for a training trip soon.  Let the other guys deal with this one."

                "I don't think the _guys_ will do much protesting," Kaori said with a smile.  "But the girls will probably rush the podium and beat him to a pulp before he even finishes speaking."

                "Now that might be fun to watch," Ranma chuckled.  "Maybe you could string him up with that Ramen Noodle Noose thingie of yours."

                Kaori blinked.  "When did you see me use that?  I never saw you after the start of the Martial Arts Takeout race."  Before Ranma could do much more than begin to sweat, she continued, "Were you just watching from somewhere I couldn't see?"

                "Uh, yeah, that's it exactly," Ranma said.  '_At least for the first half of the race..._'  "You had some pretty good moves, I thought."

                "Thank you, Ranma.  I would have won, too, if I hadn't been double-teamed."  Kaori glowered off into the distance for a moment.  "Things would have been different."

                He didn't know what to say to that, so he kept quiet.  After a long moment of silence, she spoke again, in a more tentative tone that was usual for her.  "I think about it sometimes.  Do you?  What it would have been like to leave this place behind?  You wouldn't have been trapped in Furinkan.  You wouldn't have had to deal with nearly so much stress, or so many doctor's visits.  I'd like to think you'd have been happier, if I'd managed to win that contest then."

                "Yeah, well, I dunno.  I don't like being forced into stuff, Kaori."  That was about as subtle as Ranma felt capable of being.

                She inclined her head.  "I know."

                He blinked.  "You do?  How?"

                "Silly, it didn't take me all that long to figure out, once we were spending time together like this."

                Now there was a definite chill running up and down his spine.  "Whaddaya mean by that?  I thought these were just, you know, study dates_."_

                "Of course they are that, Ranma."  Kaori met his gaze fearlessly.  "But it's more than just that, isn't it?  It's a chance for us to get to know each other.  A chance to start out slow, without any pressure, and build something solid.  Instead of just being thrown together as fiancées."  '_I tried that last time, and it didn't work very well.'_

***************

                '_So was I right, or was Akane?'_

                Ranma was now walking back to the Tendo place, much more slowly than usual.  He was mulling over the revelation from his latest get-together with Kaori.  It had come as a shock, and a rather nasty one too, that the innocent study sessions had indeed been motivated by her desire as a fiancée to get closer to him.  Kaori, apparently sensing his skittish discomfort, had called an end to the session shortly after she'd said her piece about growing to know one another without any pressure forcing them together.  She'd said that she wasn't willing to spend any more of her Saturday morning with ridiculously in-depth biology studies, but this time even Ranma could see a deeper meaning behind the words.

                He had been pretty unhappy as he began the walk away from the Daikoku apartment.  So she WAS thinking of herself as a fiancée for real!  Well, okay, really he should've known that from the beginning, after what she'd said at the Tendo place.  But he hadn't thought it had anything to do with the study sessions!  And who could blame him?  Like he'd told Akane, she really hadn't tried anything romantic at all.  Her attitude had mainly been brisk and businesslike, reminding him somewhat of Nabiki in her more helpful moments.  Except Kaori didn't charge any yen for her time and effort.  Or wear an occasional smirk when some problem of his amused her.

                There had been glimpses, though, through that no-nonsense façade.  By the time he was out of sight of Kaori's apartment building, Ranma had turned his thoughts to these, searching his memory, analyzing them as best he could.  Each time he came up with the same conclusion.

                Namely, behind Kaori's impersonal, focused-on-the-schoolwork mien, there had been overtones of friendship.  Not romance.  Not desire.  Not (brief shudder) wedding bells and thrown rice and til-death-do-you-part.  Simple friendship--one area where he never seemed to have much luck.

                He remembered something from class on Thursday.  His math teacher had sprung a pop quiz on the students, and it just so happened that the subject was one he and Kaori had spent most of their third session covering.  Ranma had been surprised to find that most of the questions on the quiz were easy.  On Friday, when the papers were passed back, the teacher gave him a few words of surprised congratulations on his B+.  After staring at the paper for a few seconds, Ranma had glanced over at Kaori.  She was already looking his way.  The expression on her face had been pleased satisfaction.  She was happy for him, he thought, and also probably proud of what she had accomplished.

                But the main thing he remembered now was what _hadn't_ been there.  Happiness, yes, satisfaction, no doubt, but that was all.  Ranma had seen no trace of the love-light that often sparkled in Shampoo's or (in the past, anyway) Ukyo's eyes.  He'd seen that many times, even occasionally from Akane when she was under some kind of spell or something, and it usually made him uncomfortable.  If he were honest with himself, more often than not it frightened him.  Ranma knew there was a lot he wasn't ready to handle yet, due to having grown up the way he did with the father he had.  Personally, he thought it was a miracle he'd turned out as good as he was, with Genma as the main influence in his life.  But that didn't mean he was prepared yet to deal with something as fragile and mysterious as a girl's heart.

                Not that Ranma thought of it in such poetic terms.  He just knew he wasn't ready for the stuff most of his fiancées seemed eager to drag him into.

                Which thought had brought him back to Kaori.  His mood was beginning to improve by now, as his natural resilience fought to overcome the bad mood he'd had at the start of the walk.  Maybe she really meant it about not pushing him, not forcing him, not trying to take things any faster than he was ready for.  Maybe he really could have another fiancée who was a friend first and foremost.

                '_Just look at today,' he thought.  '_She probably knew I didn't feel like sticking around and talking more just then.  She didn't push or nothing, just ended the session like it wasn't any big deal and let me go on my way_.'  He tried and failed to imagine Shampoo reacting similarly.  His thoughts shied away from Ukyo.  '__Heck, it was even less awkward than something like that would've been with Akane.  Wonder why that is.'_

                Trying to understand Akane was one area where he never had much success.  Not really being in the mood for more deep thought at this point, Ranma pushed his contemplations aside.  He was feeling better now, and that was all he really needed for the moment.

                A turn in his path had just brought him onto a street with a fence on one side.  As was his habit, at least when not recuperating from a recent battle, Ranma left the street behind with an impressive leap, landing on the fence to continue his walk along the far narrower pathway.  At this point it didn't really hone his balance any further, but it would at least keep his skills from deteriorating.  Even though he did run the risk of falling into the canal on the other side of--

                "LOOK OUT!!"

                Ranma's head whipped around to face the direction of the shout.  An out-of-control cart heavily laden with packages was speeding directly toward his section of fence.  From the pace, it was clear that when it hit, no amount of balancing finesse would keep him safely on the top rail and out of the water.

                This was where he should have frozen in place, his eyes bugging out and his arms waving ineffectively, until the runaway struck and catapulted him into the drink.  However, Ranma, apparently not having read the script, jumped forward instead.  His new speed training came to good use here, as he landed on one foot beside the cart and snaked out the other more quickly than the eye could follow, striking a rear wheel and smashing it into immobility.  The cart made a screeching, grinding turn that left it and its cargo resting safely a few feet short of the fence.

                Ranma smirked at the sight for a moment, then glanced around.  There were a couple of passersby a little ways up the street from which the cart had come, who were currently staring at him with their eyes as wide as saucers--'_Must be new to Nerima,_' he thought--but no sign of anyone who might be responsible for the runaway.  He toyed with the idea of sticking around until someone did show up in the hopes that there might be some kind of reward, but then dismissed the idea as something more appropriate for his old man.  It was reward enough that he'd avoided being splashed.

***************

                From the other side of the canal, a pair of eyes regarded him intently.  The distance between Ranma and the watcher, not to mention the two chain-link fences, made it difficult to compare him with the photograph clenched tightly in one hand.  But there were other criteria by which a judgement could be made, and the observer's heart beat quickly now, anticipating an end to a long, long journey.  Of course, a new one would begin immediately thereafter, but such is the way of life.  She was actually quite looking forward to it.

***************

                Ranma hadn't gone very far when he began to get that old, familiar feeling.  That distinct sensation when the hair stands up on the back of the neck, and the mouth suddenly goes dry, and the certain knowledge of an impending attack causes the heart rate to speed up.

                He cranked up his awareness of the immediate surroundings, and paused for a moment, hoping at least that this time that he could catch sight of whoever was after his hide before they were descending on him, shouting some variation of "Ranma, prepare to die!"  Of course, his challengers weren't always that courteous.  In fact, usually the first time an opponent appeared, they'd just charge in without any warning at all.  Ryoga... Mousse... Shampoo back when she was hunting his girl form... it had been the same thing in each case.  So he wasn't all that surprised now as the seconds ticked by with no cries of challenge.

                After waiting a few moments, Ranma began walking again, more slowly this time, and with his senses still on full alert for an ambush.  As it turned out, though, he needn't have bothered... a few minutes of walking brought him around a corner into a larger street, with a vacant lot a little ways ahead of him.  And in the center of that lot, facing directly toward him, stood a figure in an obvious combat stance.

                Ranma paused, studying the other, and heaved a sigh of resignation.  One of the bad things about being as good as he was, was how his reputation would draw kooks as well as serious challengers.  Not that he was in the mood for a real fight just now, but dealing with putzes like this generally left a disgusted taste in his mouth.

                The other stood about as tall as he did, with a more slender build.  That was about all the detail Ranma could make out, as his challenger was clothed head-to-toe in an obviously-homemade ninja outfit.  Ranma would have been willing to bet every last yen he owned that the inspiration for the garb had been either a kid's anime or a Halloween costume, and he was all but certain the mask had started out life as a pillowcase.  A pair of cheap, tourist-gimmicky sai stuck in a belt around the other's waist completed the impression of incompetence.

                He sighed again, then walked forward into the lot.  "Yo... you looking for me?"

                "If you're Ranma Saotome."  It was more growled than spoken.

                "I am.  Guess we haven't met before, huh?  So what's your problem?"

                "Problem?  What problem?"  Maybe this guy just had a sore throat or something, Ranma speculated.  He was still speaking as gruffly as before, but there had been honest surprise in the response.  "This is a challenge, Saotome.  That's all."

                "Right.  It mighta been nice to get, like, a letter or something first, but never mind," he replied sarcastically.  "You gonna give me a name to go with this challenge?"

                "No.  Not yet, anyway."  Now there was amusement in the growl.  "Maybe I'll tell you later."

                "Ohhhhkay.  So what endpoint you want for this?"  Ranma snorted, giving the sai a disdainful glance.  "First blood?"

                "We'll end the match with knockout or submission."  The figure drew the sai and gave them an elaborate twirl.  "And it starts now!"

                '_Man, I never thought I'd find someone who was more ridiculous in battle than Tsubasa_,' Ranma thought disgustedly, as the shinobi wannabe began sidling toward him in the most ridiculously exaggerated parody he'd ever seen of the way movies messed up a ninja's stalking gait.  '_This is one guy who _really_ needs to find a new hobby.  Guess convincing him of that is gonna be my good deed for the afternoon_.'

                By now his opponent had sidled close enough for Ranma to clearly note that the edges of the sai were as dull as butter knives.  The pigtailed martial artist had seen letter openers that came to a sharper point, and can openers made of higher-quality steel.  Shaking his head one last time in aggravation and resignation, he darted forward, tensing for a power kick to his opponent's shoulder.  Ranma was all but certain that the first bit of real pain would--

                The instant he had committed to the attack, everything changed.  With speed not far from the Amaguriken, his opponent whipped his right arm in an arc, releasing one sai.  Ranma was caught too much by surprise to block, and its hilt smacked him in the center of his forehead.  His opponent's remaining sai was airborne as well, released from the grip of the left hand to land discarded on the ground.

                Before it had fallen more than an inch, its former wielder had closed the remaining distance to Ranma.  He'd been caught at the perfect moment of awkwardness at the beginning of his own attack, knocked off-balance by the sudden shift in his opponent's apparent skill level as much as the blow to his forehead.  And fast though he was, he couldn't recover nearly quickly enough now.  The challenger pivoted as he reached Ranma, bringing his left elbow up diagonally into his target's jaw.  The blow disoriented Ranma further and knocked him back a pace.  Meanwhile, his attacker was still turning, coming out of a full three-sixty, his right heel driving into Ranma's side in a tight spin kick.  Another rotation, and another kick, a more powerful one that slammed into his hip and actually knocked him a couple of inches into the air.  He hit the ground and rolled a few feet backward before forcing himself back to his feet.

                The entire attack sequence had taken a little more than two seconds.

                "There's a Western saying for times like these."  This time there was a clear sense of smug amusement behind the gruff tones.  "Never judge a book by its cover."  He inclined his head.  "Or its pillowcase."

                "You fight as dirty as my old man," Ranma snapped, assuming a real stance this time.

                "I'll take that as a compliment."

                THAT comment was enough to jar the Saotome heir right out of his readiness.  His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped, and his opponent blazed forward again.

                Declining to be caught off-guard this time, Ranma backpedalled, blocking the flurry of kicks and punches with no real difficulty.  At the first available break in the tempo of the attack, he launched a few quick blows of his own.  His opponent couldn't quite manage to deflect them, absorbing them instead on crossed forearms.

                And then, as Ranma's next punch shot forward, the nameless challenger lifted one arm and lowered the other, twisting them to pin Ranma's wrist.  The pigtailed martial artist swung his free hand around in a hard blow aimed toward the elbow.  It would have freed his arm had it landed, but his opponent was already moving, pivoting in the same direction as Ranma's countermove, sending him flying into the air with a heavily modified Judo throw.

                Of course, finding himself involuntarily airborne was rather less trouble for a practitioner of Saotome Anything Goes than for the average teenage martial artist.  Ranma righted himself effortlessly and landed in a new ready stance.  This time it was his opponent's turn to boggle, shock causing the tight stance to loosen, and his jaw hanging slack (not that this could be seen behind the mask, of course).

                "Nice try," Ranma snorted, and dashed forward.  '_Two can play the 'attack-while-the-other-guy's-distracted-game._'

                WHAM!  His opponent flowed smoothly to one side, reaching out almost gently to grasp hold of Ranma's outstretched arm, redirecting his momentum with an Aikido technique that sent the pigtailed martial artist slamming into the ground.  Ranma quickly rolled to one side, evading the follow-up Dragon Stamp (a technique that was certainly NOT found in the art of Aikido).  He sprang back to his feet, immediately following this with a more impressive jump that put a couple of meters between himself and his foe.

                It had not escaped Ranma's attention that holding back was giving him the worst of these exchanges.  For a brief moment he considered going to full Amaguriken speed and unloading a couple hundred punches and kicks into his opponent.  Nah, he decided, he was irritated, but not _that irritated.  Instead...  "MOKO TAKABISHA!"_

                The other didn't even try to dodge.  Instead, he shot his hands forward as if to intercept the chi blast.  Then, as the missile struck, he ripped them apart with a grunt.  The chi projectile shattered, for want of a better word, exploding into coruscating sparks and streams of energy.

                Through the fading haze came his opponent, charging forward and launching a whirlwind series of punches.  He had been fast before, but now--temporarily boosted as he was with power leeched from the disrupted chi attack--it was all Ranma could do to block the assault.

                Block it the pigtailed martial artist did, however, holding nothing back now that he was purely on the defensive.  His guard held rock steady, and after half a minute the other's onslaught faltered.  The blows had been incredibly fast, Ranma noted, but not really all that powerful.

                As his mysterious adversary broke the attack, Ranma heard him gulping for air.  "Sounds like somebody's about hit his limit," he observed with his trademark irritatingly cocky grin.  "Tryin' to beat me with speed tends to do that.  Ya might be able to give me a workout in a couple more years, though."

                The other gave a wordless cry of rage and charged forward, in an attack _almost as sloppy as his initial pose had appeared.  It was Ranma's turn to shift quickly to the side.  Instead of an Aikido move--he wasn't really fond of them anyway--he swung low and snaked one foot out to sweep his enemy._

                The Saotome heir never would be quite able to reconstruct what happened next.  His attack did indeed take his opponent's feet out from under him... but somehow the other twisted in midair (how the HECK did he get so flexible?!), jackknifing both legs around to catch Ranma's upper right arm between his ankles.  This left him inverted, his bent neck and hunched shoulders all that kept his head from hitting the ground.  He bent at the waist, his torso coming up, and one hand shooting ahead and around to touch Ranma in _just_ the right spot on the back of his neck.

                Even as his opponent's legs had locked around his arm, Ranma had begun moving to disengage.  And so the strike to his Instant Unconsciousness point was merely a glancing connection which left him stunned and reeling, rather than taking a short nap.  His opponent continued the motion into a flip away from Ranma, landing feet first and turning back to face him.

                "Yield."  The other was still panting for breath, but neither that nor the hoarse tone of voice disguised the triumph behind the word.

                Yield?!  Give up?!  Like HELL he would!  Ranma would have liked to yell his defiance back in his enemy's face, but remaining on his feet was taking just about all he had left.  The world was spinning and twisting in dizzying whirls.  His vision was blurry, and there was a roaring in his ears.  His muscles felt like water...

                Ranma's body might have been on the verge of collapse, but he still could still access his chi.  With a supreme effort, he steadied one hand, croaked, "Moko Takabisha," and loosed a ball of energy.  The other just shook his head at the sight.  A valiant attempt, and very impressive that he'd managed it, but the attack had gone wildly astray, its course sending it out of the lot and into the street rather than toward Ranma's opponent.

                The chi smashed into a fire hydrant... and as inevitably as the sun rising in the east, the resultant spray of water struck the nearest victim of Jusenkyo.  Ranma-chan got back to her feet, bruised from the impact, and very, VERY unhappy, but no longer suffering from the shiatsu strike.  The Instant Unconsciousness point was just slightly different in men and women.

                "What the HELL?!"

                The cry resounded through the air, easily drowning out the noise of the rushing water.  Ranma-chan blinked.  That certainly hadn't been the gruff tones the other had been using until now.  In fact...

                His challenger reached up with one trembling hand and ripped off the ninja mask.  Even before the action was complete, Ranma-chan already sensed the important part of what was going to be revealed.

                The cloth came away, revealing an angular face framed by shoulder-length brown hair.  The cheekbones were sharper than would normally be considered attractive.  The eyes were a tawny hazel color, with some trick of the overall facial structure making them seem as piercing as those of a hawk.  The lips could not remotely be described as full; at the moment, shock had whitened them and thinned them even further.  The nose was thin as well, and sharp as a knife's edge.

                And the neck held absolutely no Adam's Apple whatsoever.  This was a girl rather less attractive than he usually encountered, but it was a girl nonetheless.

                "Care to explain yourself, Ranma?" she asked, shock and discomfiture plain to be heard.  "This isn't the kind of thing a girl expects to see when she meets her fiancé for the first time."

***************

                For a moment, Ranma-chan just stood there, bedraggled, dripping wet, shoulders slumped, head downcast, the very picture of someone who feels like the heavens are having just a little too much fun at her expense.  Then she heaved a deep sigh, straightened up, and said, "Any particular reason you didn't introduce yourself right from the start?"

                Her recent opponent snorted.  "Simple.  You're a guy," Ranma-chan glared as she heard a definite trace of uncertainty there, "and that usually means you'd hold back if you knew you were fighting a girl.  I didn't want that.  I wanted to know how good you _really_ were.

                "Guess I saw that, all right.  But I think we've got some more important things to talk about."  The girl strode over, closing the distance between them and peering right into Ranma-chan's face.  "No, it's not that illusion trick Lao Che used," she said to herself absently.  "Your eyes would be glowing.  Is this real?  How the heck did you turn into a girl?!"

                "Guess you never heard of Jusenkyo, huh?"  When the other girl shook her head, Ranma-chan gave the basic explanation.

                "I don't believe it," the other girl said, though her tone made it clear she was protesting against the strangeness rather than calling Ranma-chan a liar.  "I've seen some crazy things, but nothing this bad."  She regarded Ranma-chan contemplatively for a bit, then stepped back and fixed her with a piercing stare.  "So how do you feel about this curse, Saotome?"

                "What kinda stupid question is that?!" Ranma-chan all but exploded.  "I am a GUY.  Tried a whole buncha times to get it cured, but it never seems to work out.  I HATE the damn thing!!"

                "I hear you."  Ranma-chan wondered why the other girl looked relieved.  "No offense, I just had to ask.  So you said hot water will turn you back to normal, right?  Let's go get some... there's a cafe right over there."

                A few minutes later, the two of them were seated at a table after each making use of one of the restrooms.  Ranma was back in his birth form.  His newest fiancée had taken the opportunity to change her outfit and remove the chest bindings she'd used to conceal her true gender.  Not that it had been a hard secret to keep, as the figure this revealed was a bit less impressive than Akane's.

                Once they were seated, a rather awkward silence fell, broken only when the girl ordered tea from a passing waitress.  Ranma barely noticed when the beverage arrived; he was too busy thinking dark thoughts toward Genma.  He nearly jumped out of his chair when his companion cleared her throat loudly.

                "So!  Where do you want to start getting to know each other?" she asked.

                "Ah, okay, how about telling me your name?" Ranma asked.

                A long, even more awkward moment of silence, as the as-yet-anonymous girl was now staring incredulously at him.  At last she said, "You didn't care enough to remember your own fiancée's name?!"  Shock was the strongest emotion present in her tone, but hints of pain and anger were noticeable as well.

                "Seein' as how my old man never told me about you, it's not really my fault, now is it?"

                "He... never... told... you?!"  At this point, shock had completely pushed aside pain and anger.

                "Nope," Ranma said bitterly.  "That ain't how it works.  Pop never mentions these stupid arrangements until one of them blows up in my face.  You're... let's see... yeah, you're the _fourth fiancée Pop's arranged for me.  How many more are lurking out there, only my old man knows."_

                "I see."  The girl's face was nearly as white as a sheet.  "I'm... my name is Kaede.  Kaede Hayashibara."

                "An' what's your story?  I mean, when and how and why did we get engaged?" Ranma asked resignedly.

                "It..."  Kaede took a deep breath, seeming to pull herself together a little.  "It was about eleven years ago.  I may not get all the details right, because I was off visiting relatives at the time this happened.  My father told me the story later.

                "Anyway, at the time, my father owned and operated a dojo.  One day, your training trip brought you and Genma to his door.  Your father challenged mine; if he won, Dad would provide the two of you with room and board for a week.  If he lost, you and Genma would do any odd jobs that needed doing, free of charge."

                Kaede looked down into her still-untouched cup of tea.  "Dad's eyes still light up when he talks about that battle, Ranma," she said.  "Our family has some very effective techniques that were never taught to the regular students.  Dad used them all when he fought your father, but he couldn't take him down.  He simply couldn't keep up with the way your father switched techniques so quickly, or with the sheer experience Genma had.

                "After the fight was over, he humbly requested that Genma stay and teach him and me.  Your father refused, saying that if he were chained down in one place he'd never be able to make you into the martial artist he wanted.  He said you were going to be the best of your generation some day, but only if he could train you properly.  And that meant keeping to the open road, going around and learning the best of what all the other schools had to offer, and working it into your own Anything Goes style.

                "The way Dad tells it, he had never heard anyone so wise, so understanding of what it truly meant to be a martial artist."  Kaede was still looking down, so she missed Ranma's rolling eyes and his head-shake of disgust.  "He and Genma talked a while longer.  Eventually they agreed to engage the two of us, and in return Dad would teach your father our family's techniques."

                '_So this time the old man didn't actually take anything away from them, huh?  Least this is better than that business with Ucchan,' Ranma thought sourly.  Out loud he said, "And we weren't supposed to take you with us when we left?"_

                Kaede shook her head.  "Dad wanted that, but Genma said no.  You were only about six years old then, and I was seven.  He said that if Dad and I went with the two of you, you and I would grow up thinking of ourselves as brother and sister."  She paused, then said, softer and only to herself, "That's right, isn't it?  It wouldn't have worked out if we'd gone along with them.  But why would he arrange other fiancées too...?"

                Ranma snorted.  "Come on.  Why don't I take you to him an' let you ask him that yourself?"

                "...Right."  Kaede's eyes hardened.  She slugged down the now-cool tea in one long series of gulps, and got to her feet.  "Let's go, Ranma."

***************

                Genma tensed.  The situation was critical, even desperate.  He would need every scrap of his cunning and skill to escape this time.  Desperately he wracked his brain, searching for inspiration... and then it struck.  He stiffened, and said, in just the right tone of suppressed anxiety, "Don't look now, Tendo, but I think I see another prince making off with your daughter. "

                Soun blanched, and spun to look in the direction Genma had indicated.  Instantly the elder Saotome struck.  His hands flashed across the shogi board, removing some pieces, replacing others, and rearranging the rest.  Once he was content with the revised position, he cleared his throat and said, "Oops, my mistake, sorry about that.  It was just an effect of the laundry billowing in the wind."  Soun turned back to face him, panic already fading into resignation as he realized what he was going to see.  Sure enough, the new configuration of the board allowed Genma to end his turn with victory.  "Good game, old friend.  Shall we go again?"

                The Tendo patriarch closed his eyes and breathed heavily.  "Saotome, there are some lines that should not be crossed.  How would you like it if _I distracted __you by saying I saw your son running off with yet another girl?!"_

                "Hey, Pop!"

                The shout had come from behind him.  Wondering why Soun had suddenly gone grey in the face, Genma turned to face his son.  "What is it, b--"  He cut the last word off, managing only with difficulty not to let his jaw hang open in shock and dismay.

                "Hello, Genma," Kaede said in a clipped tone.  She gave a very sketchy bow.  "I am Kaede Hayashibara, daughter of Soichiro Hayashibara, who you met eleven years ago.  You and my father arranged an engagement between Ranma and me.  Would you care to explain why there are three other girls who can say the same thing?"

                Had the girl come at another time, things might have gone differently.  But the recent frantic round of cheat shogi had left Genma's brain warmed up and limber, as opposed to the usual somnolent state.  And so, he had the presence of mind to school his expression to calmness, and say, "Come with me, then, girl, and I'll explain."

                He rose to his feet and began walking in the direction of the dojo.  Kaede and Ranma followed, causing Genma to halt.  "Not you, boy," he said.  "I need to speak with her privately."

                Ranma snorted.  "So you can feed her some line of bull without me there to keep her from being suckered?  I don't think so."

                Genma forced a mixture of disappointment and disapproval into his tone.  "Boy, she doesn't need you to hold her hand.  The fact that she's here at all means she's already proved she can take care of herself."  He turned to Kaede.  "Will you listen to what I have to say?"

                Kaede took a long moment to consider, looking first at Genma, then turning her gaze to Ranma.  Eventually she said, "Ranma, let me go and talk to him now.  Don't know why he wouldn't want you to listen in, but if it sounds like it isn't a good reason I'll come to you afterward and see what you think about what he said."

                Ranma gave a long sigh.  Yet another person who didn't listen to him.  "Fine, Kaede.  Guess I'll look for you in a few minutes then."  He walked out into the yard and began practicing Amaguriken-speed kicks to let out frustration.

                Kaede and Genma continued toward the dojo, Genma leading the way and walking a little more slowly than he might have.  He kept his face impassive, but inwardly his mind was whirling with a speed it very rarely attained, calling back all the memories of the encounter with the Hayashibara family and the subsequent engagement deal, twisting and turning and plotting the best way to 'explain' things now to Kaede.  '_Let's see, it happened a few months after that run-in with the Kuonji's..._'

                They reached the dojo, which fortunately was not currently inhabited by Akane.  Genma sat down in a lotus position near the center of the building.  Kaede seated herself as well, and put on her best challenging stare.  Genma let the silence hold for just a minute longer, then said, "You were not to seek out my son until you had achieved a certain goal.  Have you done that?"

                "I have," Kaede growled, annoyed at having her integrity questioned, and her temper beginning to fray at the delays.  As far as she was concerned, the only important question for now was the one she'd already asked.  "I didn't come looking for Ranma until I had defeated the heirs of ten consecutive dojos, without one loss to break the string of wins."

                Genma inclined his head.  "Well done, then."  Privately he was more than a little dismayed that his tactic to keep this engagement from ever rearing its ugly head again had failed.  He would have been willing to bet quite a lot that a girl would never have been able to accomplish that task.  But apparently she had.  Given what he remembered of her father, there was no way she would be here now if she had backed down from the challenge.  "How did you learn so well?  Did your father do what he had said he was going to do, leave your dojo behind and take you on the road, so that you could learn in the true fashion of Anything Goes?"

                "He did."  Kaede's voice was grimmer than ever.  "When I was ten years old he entrusted the dojo to someone else, and the two of us traveled all over Japan.  Even into China and India for a little while."  Her voice began to rise.  "I spent eight years preparing to meet my fiancé, and--"

                "Did you?"  Genma cut her off, the question striking like a snake.  "Did you really spend that much time preparing to meet my boy... or did you train to become the best martial artist that YOU could be?  The heir that your father told me he wanted, that you wanted to be?"

                Kaede blinked.  She was conscious of a definite feeling of having the wind taken out of her sails.  "Um... ah..." she pulled herself together somewhat, "okay, it was the second one."  With her balance recovered, her spirit began to rise again as well.  "And what does that have to do with this situation, anyway?"

                "It has EVERYTHING to do with it!" Genma declared.  "Surely you have learned that the path of the true martial artist is fraught with peril and challenges.  It is in striving against those that we become who we are, that we test ourselves and grow stronger!  Have you not seen this?"

                "Of course I have."

                "Have you ever backed down from a challenge?"

                "I have not!"

                "No.  You've met them and risen higher because of it."  Genma paused for effect.  "In fact, I dare say many of them were put before you by your father, for that very purpose.  That was one lesson he had learned even before I met him, all those years ago."

                "I'm still waiting to hear how this fits in with you getting other fiancées for your son besides me."  Kaede's tone made it clear that she wouldn't wait much longer.

                "There are two reasons."  Genma met her gaze squarely, calling on every scrap of fortitude he could scrape together, and thanking all the kami that she hadn't grown up into a particularly pretty girl.  No Saotome male in the last five generations had been able to deal well with those.  "First... I want the best possible match for my boy.  And so, yes, I _did arrange several engagements, with girls who had great potential for the Art and the promise of strength of character.  But who was to say whether, ten years down the road, those promises would come true?  Already we've seen one girl who didn't have enough drive or grit to stick to it in the face of competition, and dropped out.  And others haven't shown up yet, haven't even bothered to try to find their fiancé."  Or at least he'd managed to cover his tracks well enough to keep them away._

                "So you're saying this is just another competition."  There was anger in Kaede's tone, but not so much as before.  It had been diluted with resignation.  "Just one more challenge I have to rise to, if I'm going to be worthy of him?  You've got a pretty high opinion of your son, Genma Saotome."

                "He's the best I've ever seen for his age."  For this moment, there was no twisted truth or white lies in what Genma was saying.  "He has the most potential of _anyone _I've ever seen.  He is what I wanted him to be... the best martial artist of his generation.  But that doesn't mean either he or I can slack off now."

                Now back to putting a good spin on things.  "That's the other side of the coin.  How do you think the boy feels about this business with multiple fiancées?"  He didn't bother to wait for her answer.  "It's certainly not easy on him.  But like you, he doesn't back away from a challenge.  And this is just one more I've arranged for him, not just one trial but a long series of them, to strengthen him AND the girl he ends up marrying.  Their life together will be all the sweeter for having had to go through such turmoil to get there."

                "I see."  Kaede fell silent, studying him intently for a few moments.  Genma tried not to sweat.  At last she said,  "And why exactly did you not want Ranma to hear this?"

                Fortunately Genma was prepared for the question.  He heaved a deep, theatrical sigh.  "I think there's one thing your father did better in your training than I managed with Ranma.  It seems clear that you understood just why he placed obstacles in your path--to spur you on, to make you struggle higher.  But Ranma has never accepted that.  I think he believes that he has become as good as he is in spite of my efforts, rather than because of them.

                "And so I didn't want him here now.  He's still not ready to hear my reasons.  I don't know when he will be."  Genma looked Kaede straight in the eye.  "The boy will doubtless tell you stories of what we've been up to on the road.  There were times when I had to act without honor, to set up new challenges for us to strive against.  And I'll admit I made some mistakes."  Hopefully that would cover his rear, if Ranma ever told this girl about the Cat-Fist.  "But I did what I did to present the Art with my son, and to give the Art to him.  Someday he will understand."

***************

                Despite his frustrations, Ranma only practiced for a short while before breaking it off, his stomach reminding him in no uncertain terms that lunch time had already passed.  Kaede found him in the kitchen, attending to a wide variety of leftovers.

                Ranma grunted on seeing her, swallowing a mouthful of rice.  "So how'd it go?  You want any help beatin' up the old fool, or did ya already take care of that?"

                Kaede sighed, shaking her head.  "I can't say I'm happy about it, Ranma, but I guess I can understand his reasons.  Besides, kicking my future father-in-law's butt probably isn't the best way to start things off."

                "That must've been some story he told you," Ranma commented sourly.

                His newest fiancée frowned slightly.  Ranma's lack of respect for his father was beginning to grate on her.  Especially considering how skilled he'd become under Genma's training.  "He said that he arranged so many fiancées so there'd be a wide field to pick the best from, once we were all grown up.  What if he HAD stopped with one, and the girl turned out to be some prissy little princess without any real drive or talent for the Art?  Where would that leave you, huh, Saotome?  Genma may've been pretty underhanded about it, but at least he made sure that wouldn't happen.  The girl you'll end up with is the girl who's proved she can keep up with you, who can add the most to the Anything Goes style."  The determined cast to her jaw made it quite clear whom Kaede intended this to be.

                Ranma chuckled grimly.  "That's what he told you the reason was, huh?"

                "Yes, it is."  True to her word, Kaede didn't bring up the part about creating new challenges for Ranma.  "That's why I said I wasn't happy, to find out I still had a ways to go, and things to prove, but I understand where he's coming from."

                The Saotome heir hesitated for a moment.  Should he bust the old panda right now?  It wouldn't be too hard to force Genma to admit he'd fed this girl a line of bull.  Just get Soun in the same room, and his father wouldn't be able to keep up that 'I'll give Ranma to the best girl' line for long.

                Then he decided not to bother.  His newest fiancée didn't seem particularly eager to listen to what he had to say.  Let her figure it out for herself.  With the way Genma was always pushing him toward Akane, Kaede would catch on to the truth soon enough.

                Meanwhile, she was speaking again.  "So... you want to fill me in on my competition, Ranma?"

                "Huh?  Whatcha mean by that?"

                She tsked impatiently.  "The other girls.  You said you had three other fiancées... Oh, wait, one of them dropped out though, right?  That's what Genma said.  So tell me about the other two."

                "Other three.  I also got one that didn't have anything to do with Genma."

                Kaede paled slightly.  A fiancée that hadn't been arranged by Genma... was this girl someone Ranma himself had picked out?  "Who's that?  And what right does she think she has to someone who's already got legitimate fiancées?"

                Ranma gave another of those grim chuckles.  "If ya asked her, she'd say it was you girls who were poaching on somebody who's already taken.  Accordin' to her laws, she and I are actually married."  He paused, waiting for a comment from Kaede.  When she just stood there blinking, he went on, "Her name's Shampoo, and she's from this crazy tribe of Chinese Amazons."

                One last blink, and then Kaede breathed a loud sigh of annoyance.  "That old myth?!  Don't tell me you actually believed her."

                "Ah... huh?" Ranma asked, his train of thought momentarily derailed.

                "Oh, sure, I've heard the rumors too, about a secret society of warrior women hidden deep within the wilds of China.  Called the Joketsuzu or something like that, supposed to have really powerful secret techniques.  Makes for an entertaining story, Ranma, but that's all it is.  Please don't tell me you had some Chinese chick come onto you pretending to be an actual, honest-to-goodness Amazon, and you believed it."

                "Not exactly," Ranma said dryly.  "More like Pop and me visited that 'mythical' village."  Kaede grimaced, plainly unconvinced, and opened her mouth to protest.  Ranma continued speaking before she could.  "Look, I know it's crazy, but it's true.  Just stop by the Cat Café restaurant here in Nerima some time and you'll find three of them:  Shampoo, my so-called 'wife', a really annoying guy named Mousse, and a three-hundred-year-old dried-up mummy of an Amazon elder, who's got enough special techniques up her sleeve to kick any three of my rivals' butts at the same time."

                "So those stories are actually true?"  There was still a note of skepticism in Kaede's voice, but it was lessening now.  She reminded herself that the little matter of Ranma's Jusenkyo curse had already established that her fiancé had gone farther off the beaten path and seen stranger stuff than she had.  "These Amazons are supposed to be fierce, skilled warriors from what I've heard.  What's this 'Shampoo' like?"

                Ranma shrugged.  "She's the strongest fighter out of my fiancées, that's for sure."  He missed the way Kaede's eyes narrowed as he said this.  "And yeah, her whole culture pretty much revolves around being strong warriors.  The girls even haveta marry any guy from outside their tribe who defeats them in battle.  You know, to get his skill and strength added into the village."

                "Is that what happened to you?" Kaede asked.  

                "More or less," Ranma grumbled.

                It didn't look to Kaede like he really wanted to pursue the subject any further, which was fine by her.  "Hmm... well, tell me about the other two.  The ones Genma arranged."

                He shrugged.  "Okay.  One of 'em just got back to Nerima a little before you showed up.  This's the second time around for her.  Her name's Kaori Daikoku, and she came by once before to try and stake her claim, but then she gave up and left.  She practices the Martial Arts Takeout style."

                "One of those people who stick with a weird minor discipline.  Gotcha."  And if this girl had given up once before, Kaede didn't think it would be all that hard to see that she did so again.

                "She's pretty good with it, but yeah, she doesn't have anything like our experience," Ranma said.  "Still, she was good enough to nearly win a Martial Arts Takeout Race, even against other people fightin' with different styles.  Losin' that was why she had to leave the first time."

                "What, did she bet her engagement on it?"

                "Not exactly.  She challenged Akane, that's my other fiancée, to the race, and said that if she lost she'd go away and leave me here."  He snorted.  "But she never did say she'd be gone forever."

                "Sneaky," Kaede said with grudging approval, mixed with annoyance that apparently this other girl hadn't really given up in the first place.  Still, she was confident that her skills would be enough to bury a rival who limited herself to something as silly as Martial Arts Takeout.  "So what about Akane?"

                "Akane Tendo, daughter of my old man's best friend, and heir to the Tendo school of Anything Goes."

                She interrupted him before he could say more.  "_Tendo_ school... of _Anything Goes_?!  Isn't this the Tendo dojo?"  That was what she thought she remembered glimpsing on the sign out front when she and Ranma came in.  "And you and your father are staying here?"

                "Yep.  Like I said, Pop and Mr Tendo are old training buddies.  The engagement deal there is to unite the branches of the Anything Goes school, an' have Akane and me take over the dojo."

                Kaede was now fighting a grim feeling of trepidation.  '_An heir to another branch of the Anything Goes school?!  Someone else of Ranma's caliber?!  How can I compete with that... wait_,' now confusion added its voice to the din of conflicting emotions, '_Ranma said _Shampoo_ was the best fighter out of his fiancées..._'

                "Kasumi, are you in here...?"  Akane's voice trailed off as she entered the kitchen and took a good long look at the sight before her.  Her mouth thinned into a hard line, before she asked, "Ranma?  Who's this?"

                "Hey, Akane," Ranma said in a tired voice.  "Meet Kaede Hayashibara, newest fiancée arranged for me by my old man."

                Kaede took a long, critical look, analyzing the sight before her.  Akane was standing ramrod straight, her fists balled up at her sides, a scowl on her face, and a battle aura flickering around her.  "You're Akane?  Ranma's fiancée Akane Tendo?  As in the heir to the Tendo school of Anything Goes?"

                "That's right!" Akane declared, turning the full force of her glare onto Kaede.  "You have a problem with that?!"

                Another long moment of silence, as Kaede gave her a second searching stare.  Recognizing the burning quality in her battle aura that spoke of unpolished talent and lack of control.  Checking out the youngest Tendo's pretty, impractical-for-combat outfit.  Considering her cute haircut and the light makeup she was wearing.  Noting the lack of calluses on Akane's hands, and the hint of baby fat she still carried.  Remembering the way she'd moved as she first entered the kitchen, and looking at her stance now, neither of which had shown the centered, deliberate grace Kaede or Ranma carried as second nature.

                Kaede got to her feet, a hard smile in place.  She walked over and gave Akane a condescending pat on the shoulder.  "No, Princess, I don't have any problem with it at ALL."  She turned and waved to Ranma.  "See you around, Saotome."

***************

                It hadn't taken her long to get directions to the Cat Café.  Not long after leaving the Tendo home, Kaede approached the Amazon stronghold, stopping a few steps away and examining it.  It seemed like a nice enough place.  She could see through the main window that there were plenty of customers inside, more than she would have expected for this time of day.  Whatever else was true about this place, the food must be pretty good.

                A thought which reminded her that she hadn't had lunch yet.  After spending a few more minutes scrutinizing the building, Kaede went inside.

                On entering the restaurant, she was met by a tall Chinese boy with white robes, long black hair, and glasses pushed up on top of his forehead.  "Welcome to the Cat Café," he said, sounding a little harried and frazzled to Kaede.  "How many in your party?"

                "Just one," Kaede said, wondering idly whether he'd wanted to know if anyone would be joining her later, or if he just hadn't been sure how many people he was talking to now.  Judging from the way he was facing the ornamental dragon statue off to her side, she suspected the latter.

                "Right this way."  Mousse turned and led Kaede to a nearby table, pulling out a chair for her and producing a menu from his sleeve.  "Would you care to hear today's specials?"

                "Actually, let's start by you putting me at a different table.  One that _doesn't_ already have anybody seated at it," Kaede said dryly, regarding the snickering couple on the other side of the table.  "I don't think these two want me barging in on their fun."

                Mousse winced and pulled his glasses down into position.  "Ah, right."  He led Kaede over to an unoccupied table.  She seated herself and opened the menu, glancing at the prices.  Quite reasonable, if the food was as good as the number of customers would indicate.  Kaede ordered tea and a small mushroom ramen, and watched the waiter scurry back to the kitchen.  Once he'd relayed her order, he cleared the dishes off a recently vacated table (Kaede blinked as the plates and bowls just seemed to vanish into his robe), returned to the front of the restaurant, and resumed watching the door for new arrivals.

                '_If I had to guess, I'd say that was probably who Ranma meant by a 'really annoying guy named Mousse',' Kaede mused.  She noted that he had already pushed his glasses back on top of his forehead.  '__Seems like a waste.  He looks like he's a pretty good martial artist, from the way he moves.  And that trick with the dishes was impressive.  But if he won't keep those things on his face, he might as well pack it up and go back to China.'_

                She turned her attention to the main body of the restaurant, looking around for the mysterious Shampoo.  Presumably the girl would come out of the kitchen to deliver her order of ramen, at least.

                No sooner had Kaede finished the thought than she nearly swallowed her tongue.  A small bowl of ramen came flying through the window connecting the dining room with the kitchen, spinning through the air and landing on the table before her.  The bowl rocked its way through a few revolutions before settling down.  Through all this, the ramen inside barely stirred.

                Kaede just sat there and stared for a few seconds, her reverie broken only by the arrival of a teapot, cup, and saucer.  She gulped, then reached out and tapped the side of the teapot.  Aside from the heat, she could just barely make out the fading remnants of some sort of chi charge.  An experimental poke with a chopstick confirmed that the ramen broth was indeed a liquid, not the near-solid gelatinous mass that common sense insisted it would have had to be to have survived its flight without spilling.

                As a martial artist, she had learned that sometimes common sense needs to take a ride in the back seat.  Without further ado, Kaede tucked into her meal.

                Just as she was popping the last bite of noodles into her mouth, she heard the boy at the doorway say "Welcome to the Cat... Shampoo!!"  She whipped her head around.  As she took in the sight thus revealed, Kaede's features arranged themselves into a curious mixture of a smirk and a frown.

                The newcomer stood in the doorway, regarding her greeter with a scowl of resigned annoyance that did nothing to mar the beauty of her face.  Her arms were folded crossly beneath an impressive bosom.  Her purple hair was long and lustrous.  Her skin had the beauty of porcelain, except where a faint flush had pinkened her cheeks.  Her eyes were large and thickly lashed, and appeared crimson as far as Kaede could tell at this distance.  Presumably the girl preferred customized contact lenses to spectacles.

                '_Another beauty queen pretending to be a martial artist.  And this is the girl that's the strongest fighter out of them all?  Maybe I shouldn't even bother looking up this Kaori person.'  While she was relieved, it could not be said that Kaede was completely happy at seeing Shampoo's level of beauty.  She was under no illusions when it came to her own looks... 'striking' would be about the best spin that could reasonably be put on them.  She might wish nature had been a little more generous there, but the facts were otherwise, and she hadn't ever seen much point in trying to deny it.  Far better to play to one's strengths, which she had done ever since her father had begun training her in the Art.  Those skills were what would make the difference in this contest, she reminded herself, and also remembered that Ranma hadn't seemed nervous or excited when he'd been talking to her about Shampoo. _

                All the same, that didn't completely quench a feeling of jealousy at the sight of her competitor's exotic beauty.  Kaede turned back around, picking up her tea and taking a gulp... which she then spewed out as the vision before her registered.

                Cologne spun a chopstick blindingly fast, blocking the liquid before any of it could splash on her.  "Good day, young lady," she said dryly, from her typical perch atop her staff.  "I don't mean to be rude, but you have the look of a seasoned martial artist.  Now, that's hardly uncommon in this town, but it also seemed to me that you were looking at my great-granddaughter with some hostility.  Do you have business with my Shampoo?"

                All sorts of warning bells were going off in Kaede's mind now.  "Nothing that can't wait," she said slowly, "but if you could spare her for the afternoon I'd appreciate it."

                "For a challenge match?" Cologne asked, her eyes narrowing shrewdly.  Kaede inclined her head.  "I could ask why you want one, but I suppose I'll learn soon enough from Shampoo herself.  Great-Granddaughter!" she called, raising her voice and attracting Shampoo's attention.

                The lavender-haired Amazon looked up from clearing dishes off a table and trotted over.  "What you want, Great-Grandmother?"

                Kaede had now schooled her features into an impassive expression.  But she no longer had any urge to smile triumphantly.

                From this distance, certain details that she hadn't been able to make out before were all too apparent.  Akane's hands had been soft and smooth, but this girl's were as strong and capable as Kaede's own.  Even in the short distance she'd covered to reach Kaede's table, it had been obvious that Shampoo moved with the easy grace of a seasoned warrior.  And for all the lush curves the Amazon sported, Kaede could now clearly see the underlying musculature that spoke of years of serious training.

                Pushing black thoughts of unfairness to the back of her mind, Kaede spoke.  "I'm new in these parts, Shampoo, and I've heard you're the best female fighter my age around here.  I'd like to see how good you really are."

***************

                The empty lot where she had faced Ranma earlier wasn't far off.  It seemed appropriate to Kaede to have this match there as well.  She led the way, keeping her eyes straight ahead, and doing her best to keep track of her opponent through other senses.  This didn't prove to be a problem.  She remained clearly aware of Shampoo's position relative to her own for the entire walk, which Kaede considered a hopeful sign; as far as she had seen, the more skilled and experienced a martial artist was, the more likely she would try to mute her presence without even thinking about it.  Kaede was actually forcing herself not to do that, and it was making her feel a little awkward.  Still, that should just lead Shampoo to underestimate her.

                Shampoo frowned slightly as she followed her challenger.  The other girl seemed to be trying to put a mask over her real skill by moving a bit awkwardly.  No true warrior ought to stoop to such a trick.  And if she did, at least she should have the good sense to do it from the very beginning, not start out moving normally and then switch tactics.

                When they reached the empty lot, Shampoo noticed, with some trepidation, that apparently a fire hydrant had burst here not too long ago.  The hydrant itself had been capped off, and there was a fairly large quantity of mud.  No puddles as far as she could see, though.  As long as the hydrant didn't blow again, she shouldn't have to worry about random transformation.  Still, it was annoying... normally if Shampoo had good reason to expect a fight, she bathed with waterproof soap beforehand.  Of course, most fights in Nerima that involved her happened unexpectedly, but Shampoo had at least thought that the Japanese custom of sending a challenge letter ahead of time would be enough to keep her curse from making a difference in a formal match.

                "Thought Japanese way was to send letter, not just show up and challenge," the Amazon remarked irritatedly as Kaede moved to the center of the lot and turned to face her.

                The girl in question rolled her eyes.  "Geez, first Ranma, then you.  Is EVERYBODY in Nerima that formal all the time?!"

                Shampoo's eyes narrowed dangerously.  "What business you have with Airen, outsider girl?"

                Kaede hadn't actually intended to reveal her motives just yet.  She muttered something unpleasant, then spoke louder.  "Your so-called 'husband' is my fiancé, Shampoo.  Arranged by his dad and mine when we were young."

                "ANOTHER one?!" Shampoo yelled incredulously.  "Shampoo not BELIEVE this!!  First he make stupid promises to get other girls for Airen, then he give stupid training that make husband afraid of Shampoo!  How could idiot panda father cause so much trouble for me by accident?!"

                "Training that makes Ranma afraid of you?" Kaede queried.  "What're you talking about?"

                That snapped Shampoo's attention back to the present right speedily.  "Is not your concern, obstacle girl," she said, menace thick in her words.  "I guess this not just the random challenge you say it was before.  Is so?"

                Kaede inclined her head.  "Ranma said you were the best fighter out of his fiancées.  I'm guessing that's why the question of who gets him hasn't ever been settled... because the strongest one didn't have a legitimate claim."  She matched Shampoo's glare.  "I have an honor-bound promise between Ranma's father and mine, that Ranma and I should be married.  Genma told me that the girl who showed she could give the most to the Anything Goes school would be the one who ended up with Ranma.  I'm going to show that that's me."

                "Then you is living in dream world," Shampoo said disgustedly.  "Two reasons why.  You think Ranma's father support anybody other than stupid violent weakling daughter of his best friend?  You blind and stupid.  But Shampoo already know that..." she pulled out her bonbori maces and gave them a twirl, "...because you say you will defeat me."

                "We'll see," Kaede said, doing her best to hide the fact that the sudden appearance of the weapons  (far too large for Shampoo to have concealed them in any way that Kaede understood) had chipped a piece out of her confidence.  "Anyway, enough talking.  I came here to fight.  The match is to knockout or surrender, Shampoo."

                The lavender-haired girl smiled menacingly.  "Amazons never surrender.  Be glad to give you knockout, though."

***************

                The fight was short.  And perhaps more brutal than it might have been.

                Kaede came in hard and fast, trusting in her speed and flexibility to get past the maces.  With Shampoo's build, it seemed like her best bet--the Chinese girl was clearly more oriented toward strength and endurance than speed.  Trying to outlast her didn't strike Kaede as a good idea at all.  And so she struck with all the speed she could muster, aiming her right hand in a knife strike toward a particular nerve cluster in Shampoo's elbow, while with her left hand pulling out one of the emergency tonfa she kept strapped to her upper legs.

                None of which past the 'trusting in her speed' part mattered.  Shampoo spun one bonbori, striking Kaede in the right forearm, destroying that attack completely, then curving the weapon's path to impact on the other girl's upper leg.  With her other mace she knocked aside her opponent's blow with the tonfa, continuing the strike to land her weapon solidly in the Japanese girl's stomach.  The only benefit Kaede received from her strategy was that Shampoo had to invoke the Amaguriken and sacrifice some strength for speed.  Kaede's arm and leg weren't broken, and the blow to her stomach just knocked the wind out of her, sending her to her knees retching and gasping for breath.  Considering that Shampoo was easily capable of shattering a full-grown tree with one bonbori swing, she got off lucky.

                Not that Kaede felt particularly lucky just now.  In fact, she didn't feel much of anything other than the pain.

                Shampoo backed away and lowered her bonbori, as it was dishonorable in the extreme to strike a defeated foe.  "You give up, outsider girl?" she asked, once it looked like Kaede had recovered enough to notice the question.

                Kaede gritted her teeth, and nodded.  With an arm out of commission, a leg not far from it, and feelings of nausea still lurking in the pit of her stomach, there was no way she'd be able to win at this point.  "You win this time," she forced out.  The quickness and ease with which it had happened hurt almost more than the physical pain.  "But I wonder what would've happened if you'd fought me without those goddamn maces."

                "You mean, if you had weapon and Shampoo did not?" the Amazon asked ironically.  "Anyway, you lose.  You leave Ranma to me."

                "The HELL I will!" Kaede snapped, pride forcing her back to her feet.  She was careful not to assume anything that could be mistaken for a combat stance, though.

                Shampoo's eyes narrowed dangerously.  "You challenge me to show who is better one for Ranma," she growled.  "You say this own self.  And Shampoo show it is same one it has been all along.  You lose fight when he is stakes, so you give up, go away, and not try get your claws on my Airen."

                "Screw that," Kaede retorted.  "I never said I was betting my status as Ranma's fiancée on this match.  I didn't say you had to leave if you lost either, did I?"

                There was a long moment of silence as the two girls faced each other.  Shampoo broke it at last, returning her bonbori to storage.  "Up until now, Shampoo have treat you as honorable opponent.  You showing now you not have honor after all.  But I give you one more chance."  Kaede's eyes bugged out and her breath caught in her throat as Shampoo produced a new weapon.  The Amazon ran one finger along the razor edge of the scimitar, then said, "Shampoo not here to split cat hairs about just what words you say.  You challenge to show which of us is better for Ranma, we fight, you lose.  So swear now on all you honor to go away and leave Ranma alone.  Or Shampoo use this."

                Kaede stared desperately into Shampoo's eyes, looking for something, anything that would indicate the Chinese girl was bluffing.  She saw nothing there but steely determination, which was appropriate enough.  Shampoo had every intention of following through on her threat if Kaede didn't acquiesce.

                Although the Amazon didn't see any need to explain just _how she would be using the sword.  Better to let the other girl draw her own conclusions.  Given how short her hair was, she might not even care if Shampoo cut off the rest of it._

                '_She really does mean it,' Kaede thought desperately, and with undertones of a less familiar emotion.  Namely, despair.  '_I can't just lose like this... not now... but what can I do?..._'  She gulped, looking away from the Amazon, searching frantically for something that would get her out of this._

                "SHAMPOO!!  Cut it OUT!!"  Ranma's cry resounded through the lot.

***************

                Faster than she had moved during the entire match, Shampoo spun around, hiding the scimitar behind her back as best she could.  It would have been more effective to return it to weaponspace, but she was a little too flustered to think of that.  "Nihao, Airen," she said, trying to be chirpy and cheerful and glad to see him and not at all guilty.  "You come to see Shampoo?"

                "I don't believe this!" Ranma yelled.  "I thought better of you than this, Shampoo!  What were you gonna do if I didn't show up just now, huh?!"

                "Sounded to me like if I didn't give up on you and leave town, she was going to cut my head off," Kaede said helpfully.  She had used the opportunity to get well away from Shampoo, and was now standing much closer to Ranma.  He wouldn't have any trouble getting between the two of them if Shampoo charged.

                "Is not so!" the Amazon in question bristled.

                "Then what were ya doing with that sword, Shampoo?  Trying to scare her off?"  He hoped that was it.  Now that the first shock of seeing her with the sword drawn had faded, Ranma was pretty much willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.  After all, Shampoo had been here in Nerima for nearly a year now without hurting anybody.

                "That right!"  The Amazon nodded her head vigorously.  "Would have let her go without hurting her if she too too stubborn to give up."

                "Bullshit!" Kaede snarled.  "I saw your eyes.  You meant every word you said!"

                "Is not so!" Shampoo returned, but her voice faltered halfway through as she realized just what she was saying.  She had just meant to issue another denial of ever intending to hurt her opponent, and hadn't paid close enough attention to what Kaede was saying.  As a result, her words came out uncertain and unconvincing enough that even Ranma noticed.

                "You sure about that, Shampoo?" he asked sternly.  "Don't sound like it to me, all of a sudden."

                "Who you believe, Airen?" she asked, regaining some poise.  "Stupid new girl who just show up now, or Shampoo who you know for so long?"

                "Seein' as how when I first met you you were trying to track down and kill my girl half, maybe I oughta listen to Kaede," Ranma snapped.

                Shampoo flinched back.  "That not fair, Airen," she said miserably.  "Shampoo break that law for you, after you lie to her and say you really girl."

                Ranma sighed.  "Look, just tell me straight, Shampoo.  Were you or were you not gonna use that sword if Kaede didn't agree to what you said?"

                The Amazon hung her head for a moment, then drew herself up to her full height.  Pride was in her voice, but her eyes showed mostly pain, as she answered.  "She challenge me to fight.  Say battle was to show who of us was best for you.  I win fight, tell her she now go away and leave you alone.  She say no, go back on what she say fight was for in first place.  Act without honor.  So Shampoo would treat her in Amazon way for opponent what have no honor.  For woman, that mean shave head.  That is what sword would be for.  Not hurt, just show mark of shame.  And thank Ranma so much for believing in Shampoo."

***************

                Being responsible sucked.

                That was the general trend of Ranma's thoughts, as he walked down an alley toward the Cat Café.  After Shampoo had left, he'd talked with Kaede a little more.  The conversation hadn't lasted long, Kaede's loss having left her in no good mood, but it had been enough to give him a pretty good handle on where the misunderstanding had occurred.  Shortly thereafter a nagging thought had come to mind... namely, that someone really ought to go talk to Shampoo and make her understand too.  Maybe seeing where she'd messed up would make her more careful about jumping to conclusions in the future.

                Yeah, right, Ranma thought cynically, and maybe Mousse would stop attacking him to try to free Shampoo from his evil clutches.  Nothing ever changed around here... the thought of Ukyo crossed his mind, and he amended the thought to 'nothing ever changed for the better'.  Still, his conscience had eventually worn down his reluctance; one thing Genma had always stressed while Ranma was growing up was the importance of fulfilling one's duty, and even after he had realized that his father didn't practice what he preached the notion had still stuck fairly well.  So now he was walking through the twilight on his way to the local outpost of Amazon territory, wishing that he could have at least kept from hurting Shampoo's feelings earlier this afternoon.  Hopefully she'd be in a better mood by now, though...

                "Ranma, for hurting Shampoo, I'll _kill_ you!"

                The pigtailed martial artist sighed, whipping around and preparing to dodge if Mousse was actually wearing his glasses.  He was, this time, but the dim light of evening was apparently affecting his aim.  The chains he shot out went to either side of Ranma rather than on an intercept course.  The Saotome heir heard a clanging sound behind him as the spiked weights on the ends of the chains bounced off the sides of the alley, collided with each other, and got tangled up.

                "Nice try, Mousse.  If you were aiming to punish those walls, anyway," Ranma said sarcastically.  "So how's it going?"

                Mousse didn't bother responding verbally, instead pulling his arms back toward his chest and across each other, each fist coming to rest on the opposite shoulder.  The chains leading from his sleeves mimicked the motion, closing in on Ranma while the spiked weights at the end shot toward his back.

                A quick leap backward sent him into the air before the chains could tangle him.  The spiked weights shot under his feet while he was still airborne; a second later he had landed and was charging forward.  Mousse cursed mentally and let the chains fall out of his sleeves, hastily grabbing a handful of daggers and throwing them.  The myopic martial artist didn't have time to aim, and settled for throwing the knives wildly.  Ranma easily deflected the few that came his way.

                And then he had closed the distance to his target.  Just for variety, Ranma lashed out with a series of kicks this time--he usually finished Shampoo's stubborn suitor off with a punch--striking several vulnerable spots and ending with a sweeping blow to Mousse's temple.  The Chinese boy crashed to the ground, not quite unconscious, but nowhere near in full command of his facilities.

                "Damn you, Saotome," Ranma heard him mumble as he walked away.  "Always hurting my Shampoo... don't know why she won't leave you... for somebody who deserves her..."

***************

                The fight (if it could even be called that) hadn't really lasted long enough to work out any of Ranma's stress.  He actually paused a block further on, glancing around hopefully.  Nope, no Ryoga charging out of nowhere.  He sighed and continued, turning a corner a few minutes later and coming within sight of the Cat Café.

                More importantly, he also saw Shampoo.  She was in the alley where Cologne had first demonstrated the Chestnut Fist to him.  Ironically enough, she was performing that very move, pummeling a post with blows too quick to be seen.  Her mouth was set in a grim line, and in her eyes was no hint of the happiness that had been there during her morning practice.

                Ranma stopped and stared, knocked farther off-balance at the realization of her improvement than he really should have been.  As Shampoo caught sight of him, he pushed his surprise to the back of his mind.

                "Ranma."  She spoke just the one word and fell silent, looking at him with hurt still evident in her gaze.

                "Hey, Shampoo."  He paused, trying to think what to say next, and hoping she would break the silence.  No such luck; the Amazon just stood there, regarding him through the fading light.

                At last he couldn't take it any more.  "Look... I'm sorry.  You were right.  I shouldn't've brought that up.  I didn't want to hurt your feelings or nothing."

                "When Shampoo first come here, I fight with Akane," the lavender-haired girl said quietly.  "Gave her Kiss of Death.  Is not real Kiss though, because she never defeat me.  Just did as threat, to show her Shampoo not happy with way she interfere and also make her know I not keep on taking it.  She not even stop to think, just jump to fight with Shampoo.  We go off with nobody else around to see what happen, at least Shampoo not realize pig was stupid lost boy Ryoga at time.  Did I hurt her?"

                Ranma grimaced, shaking his head.  "No, but..."

                "Is no 'but'!  Not even hit her at all.  Use technique that do no damage.  She less nice to you every single time Shampoo ever see you two together!  And then, you lie to me and say you is really woman."  Shampoo blinked back tears.  "Shampoo throw law away for you and go back alone to China to get punished.  Is no way for daughter of family of Matriarch to get away with disrespect for law.  Shampoo know this, and still not hurt you, not hurt anyone.  Not hurt anyone whole time Ranma know me.  And you still not ready to believe in me?  What I have to do?!"

                "Look, that is NOT how it is!" Ranma declared, fighting the impulse to squirm.  "I was ready to believe it when ya said you were just trying to scare Kaede.  Only reason I got doubtful again was when YOU started sounding all guilty and unsure!"  Shampoo's only response was to sniffle and look down.  "Come on, Shampoo... I didn't want to hurt your feelings or nothing.  I'm sorry!"

                "Ranma say that to make Shampoo feel better, or own self?" she asked, still looking away.

                "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked helplessly.

                "Just what it sound like.  Want to know whether Ranma apologize because he think he ought to, or because he really care if Shampoo hurting."

                "I said I was sorry, Shampoo.  And I meant it.  I really didn't want to make you feel bad."  Ranma wracked his brain, trying to come up with something that would convince her.  "Tell you what--I'll do something to make it up to you."  That ought to show her he was sincere, he thought.  And then, too late as usual, his common sense spoke up, reminding him just what that promise would likely entail.

                "Ranma mean it?" Shampoo asked hopefully, before he could think of a way to qualify that statement that wouldn't defeat its purpose.  "Would take Shampoo on date to make me feel better?"

                With a mental sigh, Ranma nodded his head.  Oh well, he'd lived through dates with Shampoo before.  It would probably get him in hot water with Akane, but that happened pretty regularly anyway.  He wasn't looking forward to sitting through some dull romantic chick flick, though.

                Shampoo smiled, which at least made him feel a little better.  "Thank you, Airen.  Tell you what... has usually been Shampoo who picks out where to go on dates.  This time is your turn.  You decide what we do."  Watching his face light up made her smile grow a little wider, and also made her feel an unmistakable urge to kick herself.  Great-Grandmother's advice about letting Ranma set the pace for time they spent together was obviously dead on target.  She should have thought of it for herself a long time ago, no matter what those stupid shojo manga she'd read for research on Japanese dating customs had said!

                "Thanks, Shampoo.  How about we hit the newest Jackie Chan movie?"

                "Sound good to me.  It open next Wednesday, yes?"

                "Well, yeah, but tickets are probably gonna be pretty hard to come by those first few days.  We could go on the weekend."

                "Wouldn't Airen rather see it on opening night?"  Not to mention Shampoo didn't want to wait a whole week for her date.  "I ask Great-Grandmother to get tickets for us.  Shampoo bet it won't be a problem."

                "Well, okay, if that works out it's fine with me."  It would be kinda cool to see it on the first night it came out.  He hesitated, then said, "There was something else I needed to talk to you about, Shampoo."

                "What is?" she asked, his tone causing her expression to shift into a more serious look.

                "It's about Kaede."  Ranma took a deep breath, hoping against hope he could get through this without making any more mistakes.  If he hurt her feelings again he might find himself dragooned into two dates for the price of one.  "You really didn't understand just what she meant by challenging you."

                "Think so?"  Shampoo snorted.  "What is not to understand?  Shampoo already tell you what happen... she challenge to fight to prove who is better wife for you.  I defeat her.  She turn around, say she not going to give up even after she lose."

                "Look, it ain't that simple.  Somehow, Kaede's got it through her head that I'm gonna marry whichever girl my old man thinks is the best one."  He shook his head, his face taking on an expression of mingled irritation and disgust at the thought.  "She wanted to prove herself to him, which is why she challenged you.  If she'd won, she wasn't going to try and tell you to pack it in and leave."

                Shampoo blinked in surprise, thinking back now to something Kaede had said before their fight.  "She really think that?  That is all up to stupid panda father, not Ranma's own choice?  How can anybody be so stupid?"

                "Give the poor girl a break, Shampoo.  She's only been here one day," Ranma said, though privately he felt a little inclined to agree.  "Besides, maybe she grew up with a father where listening to him didn't get her in trouble."

***************

                Kaede's reverie was broken by the arrival of a waitress.  She accepted the pot of tea, indicated that she didn't wish to order anything else just now, and poured out a cupful.  This was done much more slowly and carefully than usual; it had been less than twenty-four hours since her fight with Shampoo, and the bruises she'd picked up then hadn't really begun to fade.  With some effort, she succeeded in filling the cup without spilling any tea.

                Rather than taking a drink, though, she just sat there, hands curled around the teacup, not really feeling the heat from the liquid inside.  Her thoughts had already shifted back to events taking place elsewhere.

                '_Wonder how things are going with Dad.  I couldn't even tell for sure how he was feeling last night.  Is he angry with what Genma's done?  What's he going to say to him, anyway?'  Kaede tried to imagine the scene.  Her father would have long since reached the Tendo dojo... had he and Genma settled things already, or were they still talking?  '__Heh, talking... as if I don't know Dad better than that.  No matter what else they may have to say to each other, there's no way in the world he's not going to ask Genma for a rematch.'_

                She mused for a while on that subject, but it could only hold her attention so long.  Eventually a less pleasant one forced its way back to the forefront of her mind.

                '_I couldn't even touch her.'  It was a bitter pill indeed.  '_I've beaten plenty of people stronger than me.  But until I came here I never found someone my own age who was stronger AND faster._'  Her mouth quirked into a bitter grin as she remembered actually being pleased to discover that was the case with Ranma.  Someone who could challenge her like that, give her a new level of mastery toward which to strive... it was a great quality in a fiancé as far she was concerned._

                Not so great, however, in someone with whom she was competing for said fiancé.  The fight had been short, but it had lasted more than long enough for Kaede to see that Shampoo was out of her current league.  Those maces had been very heavy--Kaede had the bruises to prove it--but her adversary had swung them effortlessly, moving them too quickly to even be seen.

                Kaede had considered the thought of challenging Shampoo to a rematch and specifically stating unarmed combat.  Shampoo would still be faster than her, and at LEAST twice as strong, but if she was too dependent on her weapons the loss of them might be enough for Kaede to pull off a win anyway.  Kaede had also thought of a couple of other scenarios that might allow her to win, mostly dealing with her choosing a specialized location for the fight, but all of these ideas had the same basic problem.  Namely, she would be winning by handicapping her opponent.  Somehow, Kaede didn't think that proving she could be sneakier and more underhanded than her opposition would show she was the one who would be the best choice to help carry on the Saotome Anything Goes school.

                No, she needed a legitimate win.  More than that, she needed to be able to win regularly.  And Kaede was frankly unsure as to how to bring this about.  Throw herself into her regular training regimen, while upping the intensity to the absolute maximum she could handle?  Try to build her strength and speed more quickly than Shampoo was doing, in order to narrow the gap between them?

                '_Or I could save myself a lot of trouble and just give up,' Kaede thought sarcastically.  "No way in hell."_

                "Oh, good, you say the seat's not taken?  I'll join you then."

                Ranma's newest fiancée blinked her way back to reality.  Another girl had just slid into the booth with her, sitting down now on the opposite side of the table.  The newcomer had brown hair cut short in a pageboy style, with large brown eyes and a smirk that looked to Kaede like it seldom left her face.  "And you are?"

                "Nabiki Tendo, at your service.  Your father wanted someone to tell you that he was going to be late getting back to the hotel."

                "Why's that?" Kaede asked.

                Nabiki's smile faded a little, as she thought back to what she'd recently seen.  "They talked for a while, and then he decided to challenge Mr. Saotome to a match.  It was pretty impressive, if I do say so myself."  She was almost sure Genma didn't use that level of skill when he sparred with Ranma in the mornings.  "Mr. Saotome eventually pulled out a win.  Close match, though."

                "So I'm guessing he and Dad went to a bar to celebrate, right?"  That was what her father usually used as the stakes when he'd challenge a master to a battle.  Loser bought the drinks afterward.  When Kaede was thirteen, she had asked him why he did it, as these were the only times she ever saw him drink.  He'd told her that it was because that tactic ensured there were no hard feelings afterward, no matter who won.  Her father had turned an amusing shade of red the next day when she challenged a dojo's top student and made that offer herself.

                "That's right," Nabiki confirmed, "and your dad's picking up the tab."  She hung her head, giving a moment of silence in memory of Mr. Hayashibara's bank balance.

                "Okay.  Thanks for telling me."  Kaede picked up her tea, wincing as she moved a little too quickly.  She managed to keep from spilling any, though, and took a drink.

                "Not feeling so good after your fights yesterday?" Nabiki inquired.

                "No," Kaede growled in a tone that made it quite plain she didn't want to talk about it.

                "You got off easy, you know," Nabiki remarked.  "I heard from Ranma about that stunt you pulled when you fought him.  Disguising yourself as a boy so he wouldn't hold back?"  The middle Tendo snorted.  "I say, if a guy's stupid enough to fight below his level because he's facing a girl, the smart thing to do is take advantage of it.  If he wants to be a male chauvinist, fine, but make him hurt for it."

                "I wanted to know how good he was.  NOT whether I could pull off some kind of sneaky victory by hitting him in his weak spots," Kaede replied.

                "Hmmm.  Well, maybe that wouldn't be the best way to start things out with the future love of your life," Nabiki conceded.

                "It isn't just that," Kaede retorted, annoyed at the other girl's flippant tone.  And where did she think she got off setting herself up as an authority anyway?  It was obvious that she was no martial artist.  "This is one of those things where if you can't win honestly, winning doesn't mean a thing.  Losing to Shampoo sucked, all right, but that doesn't mean I'm going to come back at her with some underhanded tactic to win.  Any more than I'd do that with Ranma."

                The smile was gone completely now from Nabiki's face.  "Don't tell me you're planning to challenge her again?!"

                "When I think I've got a chance to beat her, you better believe I am!"

                "Even after what Ranma..."  Nabiki's voice trailed off and she assumed a pained expression.  "He didn't tell you, did he."

                "Didn't tell me what?"

                "Yesterday afternoon, Ranma realized there was something fairly important about Shampoo you needed to know, before you got any crazy ideas about running off and challenging her.  His words, not mine," Nabiki added, as Kaede glared at her.

                "So that's how he managed to show up just then?  He was looking for me?"  Nabiki nodded, and Kaede continued.  "Guess the sight of Shampoo pointing a sword in my face kinda made him forget whatever he was going to say.  So what was he supposed to tell me?"

                Nabiki glanced over to the front of the cafe, where the various menu items and their prices were listed on a large board.  "You know, Hayashibara, all this talking, not to mention walking all the way over here to tell you about your dad, has made me pretty thirsty.  A soda right now could help keep my voice from giving out completely."

                Kaede rolled her eyes, but decided to humor the other girl.  Once Nabiki had been supplied with a soda and had taken a long drink, the middle Tendo spoke again.  "Shampoo's people have some... interesting... laws about when they're defeated by someone who's not a member of the tribe."

                "Ranma told me that's why she's chasing him," Kaede said.  "When an Amazon gets beaten by an outsider man, as far as they're concerned she's his new wife."

                "But Saotome didn't tell you about an outsider woman who defeats an Amazon, I take it?"  Kaede shook her head.  "She gets a little thing called the Kiss of Death.  Namely, a promise by the defeated Amazon to track her to the ends of the earth, if she has to... and kill her."

                Kaede's face turned pale.  "You're kidding me."

                "I'm afraid not.  When Ranma first defeated Shampoo, he was in his girl form.  She chased him and Mr. Saotome all across China, and even tracked them to Japan.  Pretty impressive, you must admit."

                "Impressive?  I'll tell you what's impressive," Kaede's voice rasped.  "It's pretty damn impressive that one person should have so much going for her.  Not to mention UNFAIR AS HELL!"  She slammed her hand down on the table, palm first.  The contact sounded like a rifle shot, and completely covered her involuntary gasp of pain as she realized, an instant too late, that she had used the wrong arm for making an impassioned gesture.

                "Do go on," Nabiki prompted.  Envy of the Amazon was NOT a reaction she'd been expecting.  "What makes you say that?"

                "Isn't it obvious?!" Kaede hissed through painfully-clenched teeth.  "How am I supposed to beat her now?!  I CAN'T!!  Even if I win, I lose!"

                "I really don't see why beating her is such a big deal to you," Nabiki confessed.  "If it's just that tired old 'I'm a martial artist so I have to be better than every other martial artist in town' thing," without a shred of remorse she tossed her future brother-in-law to the wolves, "then you should be focusing on defeating Ranma.  After all, he's significantly better than Shampoo."

                "That's not it at all.  How am I going to show I'm the best choice for Ranma, if there's someone I don't even dare compete against?"

                "You mean you're worried about Shampoo taking him back to China with her," Nabiki surmised.  "Maybe you should try to think this through a little more, Hayashibara."

                "Just what is that supposed to mean?"

                Nabiki gave the long-suffering sigh of one who had to do others' thinking for them.  "Do you _really think Ranma is going to accept Shampoo's offer?  How do you think he'd feel twenty years from now, when some wandering martial artist lady comes strolling through the backwoods of China, stumbles across their little land that time forgot, and defeats his daughter?  You really think Saotome is up for joining a society that kills other women for being better fighters than they are?  Ranma's not a very good loser, but that's taking it a bit far even for him."_

                Kaede sat there and blinked for a while, turning the points Nabiki had raised over in her mind.  At last she said, "You may have a point there."

                "Naturally," Nabiki replied.  "Now why don't you buy me some ice cream to pay me back for setting your mind at ease?"

                The other girl snorted.  "Don't push your luck, Tendo."

                "Hmmph.  Just so you know, Ranma appreciates generosity in a woman."  As long as the matter didn't involve Akane's cooking, anyway, Nabiki silently amended.  "I suppose I could sweeten the deal, though..."

                "Meaning?" Kaede prompted her after a moment of silence.

                "You were impressed by how fast Ranma was, correct?  And Shampoo as well?"  The previous day she had rescued Ranma before her irate little sister could express her displeasure at the arrival of yet another fiancée.  As payment for the favor, Nabiki had taken the opportunity to grill him for information on Kaede's capabilities.  Based on that information, and given what she already knew about Shampoo, Nabiki would have expected the Amazon to eventually pull out a narrow, hard-fought victory if she and Kaede fought.

                Instead, later in the afternoon she had heard from Ranma that Shampoo had blown her competition out of the water.  In the evening, after Ranma returned from the Cat Café, she had cornered him again, extracting the information that Shampoo had learned the Amaguriken.  She was glad she'd found out as early as she did; a development like that could rip the previous odds to hell and gone in certain types of fights.

When the other girl nodded, Nabiki said, "Well, I happen to know that Ranma received advanced speed training from Shampoo's great-grandmother.  Shampoo might have gone through this herself recently if she seemed unnaturally fast to you."

                "And you're offering to tell me how to do this myself?  No offense, but you don't really strike me as having a lot of experience training someone.  What good would it do me to hear some second-hand account from you anyway?"

                "It was simple enough that you wouldn't need anything else to do it yourself .  But if you're not interested..." Nabiki made as if to get up from the booth.

                "Okay, okay, I'll bite," Kaede grumbled.  It wasn't like she couldn't afford a measly order of ice cream, after all.

                One banana split and one explanation later, Kaede spoke again.  Well, screeched might be a better word.  "You do WHAT?!"

                "Dump a double handful of chestnuts into an open fire, then try to pull them out quickly enough that you don't burn your hands."

                Kaede snorted.  "That's what I get for asking a normal person."  Nabiki wondered whether she should feel insulted or flattered at being labeled 'normal'.  "Something like that is just not possible without boosting your speed with chi.  And you don't have a clue how to tell me what I need to know to be able to do that, do you?"

                The middle Tendo shrugged, adopting a not-quite-cold expression.  "The old woman didn't tell Ranma anything about that when she showed him the move.  I think it happens automatically.  Ask him yourself if you don't believe me."

                "Maybe I will."  Or her father might be able to help her.  If possible, it would be nice to master the technique without Ranma's knowledge and surprise him.  "So how many other people around here know that move?"

                "Nobody else ever learned it as far as I know.  Just Ranma and the Amazons."

                Not Akane either, then, not that Kaede had thought it likely.  That thought led her to another.

                Conversation flagged.  Nabiki returned her attention to her ice cream, but after a minute or so she began to feel a little uncomfortable.  Kaede was openly staring at her, a contemplative look on her face.  "Do I have something on my nose?"

                "Huh?"

                "Just wondering why you were staring at me, that's all," Nabiki said coolly.

                "I was thinking.  Actually, I was wondering something myself."

                "And that would be?"

                "Why you're helping me out like this.  Isn't your own sister one of the girls after my fiancé?  Shouldn't you be supporting her?"

                The tone of Nabiki's reply dropped the room temperature by several degrees.  "I try to stay neutral in the Saotome Fiancée Scramble, Hayashibara.  And my reasons are just that... mine."  '_I love Akane dearly, but if everyone keeps on handing her things on a silver platter, she's never going to grow up_.'
    
    ***************

                '_Can't believe I'm actually looking forward to this,' Ranma thought moodily.  '__Hah.  Ranma Saotome actually glad of an excuse to get out an' go over school stuff when I don't have to.  Bet Nabiki'd lose a fortune if she'd ever laid bets on that.'_

                It wasn't due to any real change of heart that he was expecting to enjoy his upcoming study session with Kaori.  The thought of going over more dull texts, or maybe some dreary meaningless equations, seemed about as pointless today as ever.  However, discomfort was relative, and right now a legitimate excuse to get out of the Tendo household for awhile seemed like a pretty good thing to him.

                Akane had made it quite clear over the last few days that she wasn't happy with her fiancé.  She hadn't yelled or hit him, though... she'd just been cold and withdrawn, either ignoring him completely or giving the impression that as far as she was concerned, he could go crawl into a hole and die.  It was frustrating--he would have much rather she behaved as she usually did when upset.  He could handle that.  He was used to it.

                By contrast, Akane had only pulled this kind of stunt once before.  He _still_ wasn't sure why she'd gotten so mad that one time, when he and Happosai had accidentally destroyed a dish she'd recently finished cooking.  But Akane had dropped straight into morose unhappiness laced with temper, maintaining the bad mood over the course of a couple of days.  In fact her attitude had worsened over that time, culminating in the youngest Tendo retreating to the roof and spending an entire night sulking.  Never mind the fact that her action had caused the entire household a great deal of worry and frenetic activity, as they spent that night searching the streets of Nerima for her.

                She hadn't gone so far this time, at least.  '_Huh... maybe it's cause her old man's upset at me too,_' Ranma thought cynically.  '_Misery loves company and all that._'  It didn't seem fair to him that the Tendo patriarch should place more blame for recent developments on him than on his father, but Ranma wasn't really surprised that it had happened.  Not that Soun had been all that harsh, but the Saotome heir was getting a little tired of the veiled hints that he ought to have straightened out the fiancée mess long ago.  '_At least Pop's keeping a low profile for now.  We'll see how long that lasts before he starts giving me grief too._'

                And there was one other semi-bright spot.  Nabiki had agreed to keep his upcoming date with Shampoo secret from the rest of the household.  Oh, sure, in exchange for her help she'd extracted an open-ended promise of a favor from him, to be named and claimed at her discretion, but the way Ranma looked at it, whatever he ended up doing as a result was probably something she'd have gotten him to do anyway.  He'd had the presence of mind to stipulate that whatever the favor was, it couldn't go against his honor, so if she sold him on a date at least it wouldn't be in girl form to Kuno.

                Yes, he was very glad that Akane didn't know he was scheduled to go on a date with Shampoo the next day.  He didn't even want to think of her reaction if she'd known that.  And yet, somehow, he failed to make the connection between that utterly accurate attitude, and the fact that he was even now openly heading for a study session with another fiancée.  A study session that would involve just the two of them, meeting in the privacy of her own home.

                It was just too bad that Ranma had never been challenged by any practitioners of Martial Arts Relationships Skills.

                He had just now turned onto a street with many small shops.  A few minutes of walking along this would lead him to the residential area where Kaori's apartment complex was located.  Ranma stopped and looked into the display window of an electronics store.  A glance at the time displayed on a computer confirmed his impression--he was early.  As he wasn't in any particular hurry to reach his destination, Ranma turned his attention to another item displayed in the window, a screen displaying a demo for the latest Final Fantasy game.  He snickered at the hokey pseudo martial arts currently being exhibited by one of the characters, wondering idly what the people who played stuff like that would think if they saw him pull off a Hiryu Shoten Ha.

                Another character was taking a turn in the combat now, a magic user who was blasting away with some water-based attack spell.  Ranma shook his head in mild irritation, and turned to go.

                The sun had been peeking through the clouds when he first stopped to look in the window.  The light had faded as he turned his attention to the game display.  And just as the spell reached its climax, the clouds opened, dropping a brief but effective downpour onto one pigtailed Jusenkyo-cursed teen.

                The newly-redheaded martial artist just stood where she was for awhile, gritting her teeth and thinking dark thoughts about whatever kami considered Ranma Saotome his personal plaything.  As satisfying as this was, however, the thought eventually crossed Ranma-chan's mind that it would be MORE satisfying to walk a few blocks farther down the street to where there was a restaurant nestled among the other shops, and get some hot water.

***************

                Kaori noted, without much surprise, that after a couple of minutes the rain ended as abruptly as it had begun.  She hadn't been in Nerima for very long, but she was already familiar with how unpredictable the weather could be around here.

                Which fact had been more inconvenient than usual today.  A series of errands had kept her occupied after school, errands which she really should have done over the weekend, or at least after school yesterday.  However, spurred on by her Saturday morning conversation with Ranma, Kaori had taken an impulse weekend trip to visit some of the friends she'd left behind to come to Nerima.  The matter had also slipped her mind on Monday, and now she was paying the price for her procrastination.  It had taken longer than she'd expected to take care of everything, and she had been hurrying back to her apartment, uncomfortably aware that she wasn't going to have as much time to get ready for Ranma's arrival as she would have liked.  And then the blasted weather had cut that time even further.  At least she had managed to duck inside this restaurant before the rain had hit, though, Kaori thought to herself.  Had she been soaked, there was no way she'd be able to freshen up before the time Ranma was supposed to arrive.

                As watery sunlight began to stream down in the street again, Kaori stepped out of the restaurant.  She eyed the scattering clouds suspiciously.  Satisfied that for the moment there probably wouldn't be any more rain, she turned to go.

                And then she froze, as something seen out of the corner of one eye registered.  She whipped around to face the other end of the street.  Her hands clenched into fists and her teeth began to grind together as the initial impression was confirmed.  Hair of that particular shade of red wasn't something she would _ever_ forget.  A quick intake of breath, then Kaori turned, and raced back into the building.

***************

                Ranma-chan stopped, blinking in surprise.  When she was ten feet away from the door of the restaurant, it had suddenly slammed open, and Kaori had come stalking out.  The look on her face and the general tension in her posture were clear indications that she was in no good mood.  A bowl of ramen rested incongruously in one hand.

                "Yo, Kaori.  What's wrong?" Ranma-chan asked.  "You get bad service in there or something?"

                "So you do remember me," the brunette hissed.  "I haven't forgotten _you,_ I can promise you that.  You're that miserable redheaded witch who double-teamed me with Akane Tendo, back in the Martial Arts Takeout race last year.  If it weren't for you, Ranma and I would have left this place together a long time ago!"

                At which point Ranma-chan remembered she was in her cursed form.  A cursed form that had never been explained to Kaori, who had just slipped a pair of chopsticks into the bowl of ramen.  "Ah, wait a minute--Yaah!"  She skipped to one side as Kaori suddenly flicked the chopsticks, whipping a long strand of woven noodles free from the bowl and sending it lashing toward the redhead.  "Cut that out!"

                "You think YOU can tell ME what to do?!  Guess again!  I can't afford to pay Akane Tendo back like she deserves yet, but you're going to get what's coming to you!"

                Ranma-chan stared, completely at a loss for words, swaying absent-mindedly from one side to the other as Kaori's noodle-noose lashed out, trying to reconcile the sight before her with her memories of the past few weeks.  The person he'd thought he had been getting to know, the calm, collected, friendly girl, had seemingly disappeared, her place taken by someone who hadn't been seen since the Martial Arts Takeout race so long ago.  A ruthless girl who struck hard, with neither warning nor mercy.  And Ranma-chan was frankly feeling a bit betrayed.

                Meanwhile, Kaori was experiencing frustration.  No, more than that; she was FURIOUS.  Here she had before her the girl who was most responsible for her earlier defeat, the dishonorable little cur who'd blindsided her and given the victory to Akane Tendo.  The girl who hadn't even entered the race for herself, but had just interfered to aid another competitor.  The girl who bore such a large share of the blame for the Daikoku family's shame and Kaori's fiancé's suffering.  The girl who by rights ought now to be fighting a desperate losing battle to keep from getting the beating she so richly deserved.  The girl who wasn't even paying her full attention to the fight, just staring at Kaori with a stupid blank look of noncomprehension while evading her strikes effortlessly.

                Clearly the noodle offensive wasn't going to work.  Kaori decided she needed to get up close and personal.  She whipped the noodles back into the bowl, then tossed it over her shoulder.  It flew through the air without spilling a drop to land on top of a mailbox five feet behind her.  With her hands now unoccupied, Kaori charged.

                Up until this point, Ranma-chan had had some vague idea of stopping the fight, getting hot water, and revealing to Kaori just who she was attacking.  The Daikoku daughter's change of tactics quickly rendered that possibility academic.  Ranma-chan blinked as the brunette bore down on her, barely managing to get her guard up in time to meet the hurricane.

                In the Martial Arts Takeout race, Kaori had blown through a mass of lesser competitors in seconds, striking and kicking her way through them, disrupting their takeout boxes with ease.  She could have defeated Akane without much more trouble, but had made the mistake of toying with her instead.  Throughout all this, she had kept her own takeout box perfectly intact.  And the chi technique she had used just now, when she threw the bowl of ramen without spilling any, had not been the secret of her success then.  It would have been far too draining to sustain it for that length of time.  No, for almost all of the race, Kaori had maintained the integrity of her ramen through sheer balance, poise, and skill.

                And now, without any need to guard a precarious bowl of noodles and liquid, the full extent of that skill could be allowed to shine.

                Flesh cracked on flesh as Ranma-chan hastily blocked Kaori's high palm strike.  Cloth rustled as she twisted, allowing a kick to miss her by tenths of an inch.  With a grunt of effort, Kaori changed the direction of the kick, twisting to bring her foot rocketing upward.  Her aim was to strike Ranma-chan in the armpit, which would have hurt like crazy and possibly dislocated her arm.  The redhead was too slippery though, twisting at the waist and causing Kaori's heel to merely clip her lightly on the shoulder.  Simultaneous with the dodge, Ranma-chan shot one hand out to land her own glancing blow.  There was very little force behind the strike, certainly not enough to bruise Kaori, but that wasn't the point.  The brunette was already off-balance from the doubly-failed gambit; Ranma-chan's blow pushed her past the point of recovery.  She fell down hard on her rump.

                Before Ranma-chan could issue a suggestion that she give up, Kaori was back on her feet, glaring more furiously than ever and launching a blistering series of punches.  She was fast, the redhead noted as she blocked, but not Amaguriken-speed fast...  "YEEEOW!"

                Ranma-chan stumbled backward, shocked at the ferocious stabs of pain screaming up from her hands and forearms.  Kaori grinned nastily and flexed her wrists, retracting the chopsticks into her sleeves.  Long ago, before she was even born, her father had heard legends of a technique wherein the utensils were used to augment one's blocking abilities.  They still weren't sure it was more than a legend; neither he nor his daughter had ever figured out how to perform such a technique.  However, Kaori had eventually turned the idea one hundred eighty degrees, adapting it into a countermeasure for an opponent's blocking.  The piercing strike of a chopstick hurt far more and was much harder to absorb than the blunt impact of a punch.

                Quickly, before her opponent could recover and close the hole in her defenses, Kaori pivoted and drove a foot into Ranma-chan's gut, knocking the redhead onto the ground.  She hesitated then for a fraction of a second; her style didn't have many attacks that were designed against someone in that position.  If this had been a life-or-death fight, she would have thrown a couple of razor-sharp sauceriken projectiles, but while she might despise this mystery girl she had no intention of painting the street with her blood.  She wasn't carrying any spare chopsticks that could be used for a pinpoint shiatsu strike.  And the ramen bowl was currently out of reach, eliminating the possibility of a noodle-noose attack.

                The moment of hesitation was all Ranma-chan needed.  The redhead rolled backward, bouncing to her feet.  Shrugging aside the pain in her hands, Ranma-chan blasted forward at a greater speed than she'd used yet.  And good though Kaori was, she simply was not fast enough to handle this.  Ranma-chan pushed aside the awkward punch that was all her opponent could manage, snaked one hand around her neck, and tapped her Instant Unconsciousness shiatsu point.

                Or at least, that had been the idea.  Her finger passed through Kaori's curls and encountered a tightly-woven mat of hair hugging closely against the nape of her neck, which defeated the strike entirely.

                The Martial Arts Takeout girl smiled grimly.  She'd lost one fight to that technique, not long after her first visit to Nerima, which was the reason for her change in hairstyle.  She had no intention of ever again losing to such a cheap trick as that.  And every intention of making anyone else who tried it pay in spades.

                In the inevitable brief instant of surprise as Ranma-chan realized her attack had failed, Kaori retaliated.  Her position relative to her opponent made the attack awkward, but she struck as best she could, blasting a punch into Ranma-chan's chin that knocked the redhead back several paces.

                By now the pigtailed martial artist was nearing the level of unhappiness with which her opponent had begun the fight.  Screw holding back, screw being a gentleman, she was a girl now and it was OKAY to fight for real!

                Kaori's face set like flint as her redheaded foe growled and dashed forward on the offensive again.  She had hoped that blow would be enough to knock the fight out of the other girl, or at least slow her down to a manageable level.  One glance at the fury on Ranma-chan's face had disabused her of that notion.  Even as her adversary began her approach, Kaori was moving as well, backpedalling furiously.  It was nowhere near enough to keep Ranma-chan from closing the distance, but that wasn't Kaori's intent.  She had one trick left in her bag, one technique that had never failed her.

                For an instant, the previous sequence of attacks seemed to be repeating themselves.  Ranma-chan blazed forward, reaching out to push aside her opponent's feeble resistance... but as she entered Kaori's personal space, everything changed.  Her entire body locked up, sending her crashing to the ground, eyes wide with shock at the sudden, inexplicable paralysis.

                Kaori stumbled backward, gritting her teeth against the impulse to fall to her knees.  Throwing a takeout box into the air without spilling the ramen inside was one thing.  Extending the stasis technique over an entire person, even for only a few seconds, was something completely different.  When she was in top condition, it took more than half her strength to perform the move.  Here and now, she didn't have much left in her reserves.

                But she didn't need much either.  Her maneuvering of a few seconds past had left her within easy reaching distance of the previously-abandoned bowl of ramen.  She grabbed it, twirled the noodles back into a cohesive strand, and sent this snaking forward to wrap around Ranma-chan's throat.

                The redhead choked, pushing through the fading remnants of the paralysis to fight her way back to her knees and bring her hands up to the noodles around her neck.  Try as she might, though, she couldn't get anything like a decent grip on the slippery strand.  Her gaze met Kaori's, desperate and angry and betrayed clashing with stony and grim and determined.

                Kaori ignored her opponent's useless struggles, concentrating on the finesse she needed.  Using just enough force to cut off her opponent's air without actually damaging her throat required a great deal of focus.  She knew there was no way for the redhead to struggle free of the noose, and so didn't really pay her attempts any attention, concentrating everything onto her own attack.

                And so she was caught completely by surprise when Ranma-chan released the noose, dropped her hands, pointed her palms upward, and fired off a blast of chi.  The energy severed the noodle-noose with ease, and then the pigtailed girl was free, coughing and gasping, but already recovering.

                At this point, the phrase 'in over my head' began echoing through Kaori's mind.  She knew a bit of the theory of chi attacks, and was aware that anyone who could release one that powerful when she was on her knees struggling for breath could probably blow her away when she was in better shape.  A strong desire to run warred with her natural pride as a martial artist, which scorned any such act of cowardice.

                Before Kaori's internal debate could be decided either way, Ranma-chan settled the issue.  The redhead hadn't fully recovered yet, but anger gave her the strength she needed.  She was merely a blur this time as she darted forward, circling around Kaori before the other girl could respond, shoving aside first the thick mass of curls and then the tightly-woven hair shield beneath, and striking her Instant Unconsciousness point.  And even though she had gone for the win with an attack that wouldn't really hurt Kaori, Ranma-chan wasn't quite enough of a gentleman to catch the brunette as she fell.

***************

                There was silence along the street for some few moments.  Eventually Ranma-chan let out a long sigh, and did her best to push her aggravation to the back of her mind.  She couldn't just leave Kaori here, lying unconscious on the road.  With a scowl, she bent down and picked up the larger girl, draping her over one shoulder and heading toward her original destination:  the Daikoku apartment.

                Not until she was about to enter the lobby of the building did something occur to Ranma-chan.  Namely, if Kaori was here, there wasn't going to be anyone there to let them into her place.  Her father wouldn't be getting back for another two hours at least.  With a frown, Ranma-chan backed away from the building, wondering what to do.  Somehow, the thought of searching Kaori's person for a key struck her as none too smart.  Come to think of it, walking into the lobby with an unconscious girl slung over her shoulder like a sack of flour probably wasn't such a good idea either.

                She glanced up in the direction of Kaori's apartment, and was rewarded with the solution to her dilemma.  Kaori's apartment was on the seventh floor, quite a distance from Ranma-chan's position on the street, but the Saotome heir could still make out the fact that the balcony door was ajar.  A few quick hops sent her from street to balcony to balcony to balcony, and then she was sliding the door open and walking through, Kaori still snugly in place on one shoulder.

                She set the brunette down on a couch and made her way to the bathroom.  One application of hot water followed, and Ranma walked back to the room where he'd left Kaori.  He sat down in a chair on the other side of the room, and eyed the sleeping girl morosely.

                "So which's the real you, huh?" he muttered, voice still raspy from the aborted choking attack.  "The girl who's been nice to me so far, or the one who tried to kick my butt today?"  A hard question, and not one he really felt up to confronting her about just now.  Still, it would probably be better to get it over with.  Better to wait here until she woke up, and let a glass of cold water show her just who the 'redheaded witch' had been.  Better to get all this out in the open.  Better to--

                "Screw it," Ranma said abruptly, as his gaze fell on the deep bruises her chopstick attack had left on his hands.  "I'm not dealing with this now."

***************

                During the entire next day Ranma deliberately did NOT think about the confrontation with Kaori.  He did his best to avoid her, too, slipping into class just before the late bell rang, making himself scarce during lunch, and leaving Furinkan as soon as the last class had ended.  He wouldn't have minded so much if Kaori just sought him out and apologized for apparently skipping out on their session yesterday (after all, she must be thinking he'd showed up at her place only to find the door locked and nobody home).  But with his luck, he would have probably been hit by a random spray of water before she even finished getting the words out.

                He knew they'd have to have the conversation some time, but wanted it to be after he'd gotten past this business of his semi-forced date with Shampoo.  A date that Ranma would never have admitted looking forward to, although by now he halfway was.  Not the 'date' part as such--he intended to do his darnedest to keep this on the level of a couple of friends just hanging out together--but seeing Jackie's newest film, on the day it came out, without having to pay for it, was a bit of fortune much nicer than the wind usually blew his way.  Ranma just hoped it wouldn't all blow up in his face.

                So far, his luck was holding.  The date had proceeded amazingly well.

***************

                They met in a park, only an hour after school let out.  True to Shampoo's word, Cologne had been able to acquire a pair of tickets even on such short notice, but they had been for an afternoon showing rather than one later in the evening.  Ranma hadn't minded at all when he heard the news, though.  He figured this ought to seem much less suspicious than if he'd waited until after dinner to leave the Tendo place.  Anything that lessened his chances of getting caught sounded like a good idea to him.  Which had been the reason for asking Shampoo to meet him in neutral ground, rather than going to the Cat Café to pick her up.

                A glimpse of lavender caught his eye as he entered the park.  A few steps farther in confirmed it--Shampoo was already there waiting for him, even though he himself had arrived a couple of minutes early.  This wasn't really a surprise, though... Shampoo, late for a date with him?  Yeah, right.

                She was seated at a bench, facing away from him and looking out over a small pond.  "Hey, Shampoo, over here," he called.  His brow crinkled in mild puzzlement as she didn't turn or otherwise acknowledge the greeting.  '_She had to have heard that.  Why the silent treatment?  Is she mad at me or something?  Oh, man, was I wrong about the time_?' Ranma thought with an edge of rising unease.  '_Did I get here too late?_'

                Just as he was feeling the first stirring of anxiety at the thought that he might have already missed out on the movie, Shampoo spoke.  "Nihao, Ranma."

                The boy in question jumped like a cat on a hot tin roof.  Shampoo hadn't spoken coldly at all; the words had come in her usual cheery tone, laced with a hint of mischief.  However, they had also originated roughly six inches behind his right ear.  Sure enough, Ranma whirled around to find the Amazon standing there, grinning widely at him.

Shampoo was wearing a dress he hadn't seen before, not surprising considering she had purchased it this morning just for their date.  She'd put on light makeup, including her favorite shade of lipstick, one which matched her eyes perfectly.  Her freshly-washed hair shone with vitality.  A momentary cross-breeze carried a pleasing mixture of aromas from her to Ranma, containing a hint of perfume within a clean herbal scent.  All in all, Shampoo was dressed to kill, and the sight shook Ranma even farther off balance than had the 'sneaking up on him from behind when he thought she was in front of him' part.  "H- huh?"

                "Is surprising, no?"  Shampoo gestured toward the figure on the bench.  "I know some Japanese like to dye hair, but seeing one with my exact shade is too too strange.  Bet she not look like Shampoo from front, though."  The Amazon rolled her shoulders backward slightly, her posture emphasizing her chest even more than Nature had seen fit to do.

                A wasted effort, unfortunately, as Ranma had already turned and begun regarding the seated girl suspiciously.  "I dunno, that hair looks real to me.  You sure it's not actually another Amazon like Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, dropping by to punish me?"

                Shampoo blinked.  "When Ranma get so paranoid?"

                "With my life?  It's a survival trait.  Would you mind going up and talking to her, Shampoo?  Or just getting a good look at her face?  Make sure she's not anybody you know."

                The Amazon heaved a theatrical sigh.  "The things we do for love."  She walked several paces forward and to the side, until she could make out the other girl's reflection in the water.  The sight of the multiple piercings brought a grimace--what kind of person thought that was _attractive_?--but also confirmed Shampoo's original guess.  Just some random Japanese.  "Is okay, Ran... huh?"

                A gust of wind blew leaves across the ground in front of her.  She stared, then turned left, then right.  There was no sign of Ranma.

                Shampoo quickly checked her purse.  Nope, the tickets were still there... at least this wasn't going to be a repeat of their first date.

                "Gotcha back, Shampoo."  HIS words had come from no more than FOUR inches behind her.

                She jumped, even as Ranma had.  "How the...  Mean, how you do that, Ranma?!  There no cover in any direction!"

                "Simple.  Well, simple for _me, anyway."  Ranma actually only SAID the first word, but the remainder of the idea was conveyed quite clearly by his grin.  "I just got behind you, and stayed behind you when you turned.  Just had to be quick an' quiet enough that you didn't catch on."_

                "Hmmph!  Silly Ranma."  Shampoo turned her nose up in the air in the pose known as Miffed Female #3.  "Should know better than that."  Then she broke the pose and giggled.  "Should know by now you not have to try and impress Shampoo any more.  Already know how good you are."

                "H- Hey!  That's not..."  Ranma sputtered.  Shampoo stuck her tongue out at him.

                "Come on, Airen," she said, breaking through his half-coherent protests.  "We no want be late for movie."

***************

                They'd made it to their destination with plenty of time to spare, Ranma leading the way over the rooftops at high speed.  As he had hoped, this path kept him (and perhaps more importantly, her) free from random splashings.  Arriving as early as they did had another bonus, as well... namely, not having to wait in a long line to get into the theatre.

***************

                "So, uh, how long did it take you to learn the Amaguriken, Shampoo?"  Of course, even bonuses have their downsides, as Ranma had realized not long afterward.  Such as, here and now he was sitting in a dark movie theatre with Shampoo.  A dark movie theatre with absolutely nobody else in it yet, since the two martial artists had snuck in before personnel actually opened the doors to let people begin finding seats.  The situation was reminding Ranma a little too much of a time during that fiasco with the Super Soba noodles, when he and Shampoo had been trapped together in unexpected privacy.  Given the opportunity, it hadn't taken her long at ALL to shift into full-blown amorous mode, and Ranma had no desire now for a repeat performance.  Hence his best attempt at neutral diverting small talk.

                "Almost two week, Airen.  Not do so quickly as you, but what can Shampoo say?"  The Amazon shrugged.  "I not built for speed like you."

                "An' I bet the old ghoul didn't push you so hard, either," Ranma grumbled.

                "Silly Ranma."  Shampoo rolled her eyes at him, forgetting for a moment the dimness of the room.  "She not have to.  When she train you, do all those things to make you eager to learn.  Not need to do that with own great-granddaughter."

                "Yeah, maybe.  But don't try and tell me she didn't get a kick out of puttin' me through the wringer like that."

                "Oh, no, Shampoo would not say that," the Amazon agreed.  "Have not forget how much fun Great-Grandmother had that time."

                Ranma snorted, but let the comment pass.  Silence fell, persisting for about a minute before Shampoo broke it again.  "Ranma?"

                Her tone had sounded a little strange, Ranma noted idly.  Kind of... tentative?  "Hmm?"

                "Is something Shampoo wanted to ask you.  You no mind?"

                The pigtailed boy in question tensed.  THIS didn't sound too promising.  What was she about ask?  "Uh... what?"

                "When you going to learn new technique?"

                He blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected nature of the question.  "Huh?"

                "Has been while since you learn last special move, no?  Ranma not really okay to just sit back and relax, I hope."  A teasing note snuck back into Shampoo's voice.  "Because Shampoo not do that, and if Ranma do, someday I kick your butt.  Maybe MAKE you start learn again for real."

                Ranma snorted, the sound a mixture of mild irritation at the thought that he might slack off like that and relief that she hadn't been leading up to something romantic.  "For your information, Shampoo, only a couple of weeks ago I managed to train myself up to using the speed of the Amaguriken in a kick."

                There was an odd gulping sound from the Amazon, followed by "Hmmm..."  Ranma thought he heard a strange note in her tone; a more adept listener might have identified it as 'way too innocent to actually be innocent.'  "That is all?"

                "Whaddaya mean, 'that is all'?!" Ranma retorted.  "You just got through learning the basics, and I took it to a whole new level!"

                "Or could say, Shampoo just get through learn something new.  All Ranma do is polish what he already know."

                "Yeah, whatever," Ranma said grumpily.  "So when's this stupid movie gonna start up anyway?"

                Shampoo reached over and patted his arm in a gesture that was meant to be soothing.  "No be that way, Ranma.  Shampoo mostly kidding.  Nearly hurt own throat swallowing an 'AIYAH!' when you first say.  I am proud to hear you do that all by own self."

                "Then what was all that about, huh?" Ranma said, his feathers still a little ruffled but largely settling down now.

                "Like Shampoo say, mostly kidding.  But difference between just kidding and mostly kidding could be important, Airen."  Shampoo turned in her seat and gave him a serious look, leaning forward enough that the dimness of the theatre didn't obscure her face.  "Is something you should keep in mind.  Sooner or later, if Great-Grandmother not think you living up to potential, she maybe take it on self to teach you something new.  Like how she did with Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken."

                "Erk."  Ranma chewed that thought for a few moments, finding it none too palatable.  Cologne's training was effective, and none of it had been as bad as Genma's worst excess, but it was a far cry from enjoyable.  How serious was Shampoo about this possibility?  "Did she maybe tell you to say that to me?"

                "No," Shampoo admitted.  "I just guessing.  But she HAVE say some things to Shampoo while we training with Chestnut Fist, when say she glad I eager to learn."  Shampoo hesitated, then continued, "She tell me she disappointed in you some, Airen, because she have show you many secret techniques that you never ask her how to learn."

                Ranma didn't quite know how to respond to this.  After a few moments of silence from him, Shampoo spoke again.  "No worry, I be sure to tell her you teach self Amaguriken-fast speed kick.  That probably make her happier.  But is still something to think about."

                '_Yeah, great, as if I didn't already have enough on my mind,' Ranma thought with a mental sigh.  "Thanks for the warning, Shampoo."_

                "Happy to help.  Okay to talk about something different now?"

                "Sure."

                "Is something Ranma maybe forget?"

                Ranma's brow crinkled in puzzlement.  "I don't remember forgetting anything, Shampoo.  What're you getting at?"

                "You not know?"  She sighed.  "Here is hint.  Is about right and proper way for man to treat woman on date."

                He gulped, berating himself for letting his guard down.  "Ah... I d- don't know what you mean?!"

                "Is simple."  Shampoo leaned forward again, getting right into his personal space.  She gave him a mock glare.  "I pay for tickets to movie, so Ranma should pay for snacks.  Is only fair."

***************

                Sneaking back into the room while carrying a double armload of snacks without being caught by an usher had been a bit of a challenge, but Ranma pulled it off without a hitch.  Shortly thereafter, the doors opened and all the rest of the moviegoers streamed in.  Ranma and Shampoo received a few dirty looks from the first people in line, but considering the kind of hostility the Saotome heir often encountered, it should probably come as no surprise that he didn't even notice.

                The movie was as enjoyable as Ranma had hoped.  He and Shampoo alternately laughed and winced their way through it.  However, all good things must come to an end, and late afternoon saw the two of them entering the park where they'd met earlier, preparing to say goodbye.

***************

                "Thank you, Airen.  I had very good time."

                They were back in the area where they'd met two hours ago.  For the moment, Shampoo wasn't looking toward Ranma, instead gazing out over the pond and admiring the play of the late afternoon sunlight over its waters.  It was a beautiful sight, and she would have liked nothing more than to lead her Airen over to the unoccupied bench, curl up with him there, and enjoy the sight until the sun set.

                She enjoyed the fantasy for a brief moment, before thoughts of Cologne's likely reaction to being abandoned during the dinner rush brought her back to earth.

                "So did I."  Although he was beginning to feel a little tense.  So far this outing had gone much more smoothly than was usual, and had been a lot more fun than he was used to.  And it was nearly over now... if things were going to blow up in his face after all, it pretty much _had_ to happen in the next few minutes.  After all, the date was about to officially end.

                At which point Ranma remembered what Shampoo's idea was of the proper way to end a date, causing his level of tension to undergo a quick growth spurt.  "S- so, yeah, I'm glad you had a good time too, Shampoo.  It's getting kinda late now, though, and I bet you don't wanna keep your great-granny waiting or nothing."

                "No, I not want to do that," the Amazon agreed.  "See you later, Ran--Aiyah!!  What that?!"

                She was staring over his shoulder, eyes wide in shock.  Ranma spun around, looking for whatever had caused such a reaction.  He couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.  "What was that about, Shampoo?" he asked, turning back to face her.  "I didn't--MMPH!"

                Had Cologne been watching, she would doubtless have let out an appreciative cackle at her great-granddaughter's tactic.  Ranma was caught completely off-guard, his arms pinned at his sides by Shampoo's embrace, and his lips locked with hers, before he could realize where the true threat had been.  The Amazon held the kiss for an impressive length of time, pleased at the way his pigtail flared straight up and his knees buckled.

                She released him at last, smirking at the shell-shocked expression on his face.  "Now THAT is right way to end date.  Remember for next time, okay, Airen?"  And with that, she turned, and sashayed away.

***************

                Ranma was given less time to recover than he might have liked.

                Less than a minute after Shampoo had finally moved out of sight, another figure appeared, stalking out from a patch of trees.  The glares Ranma had received at the theatre might not have registered, but the hostility radiating from this individual was enough to snap him right out of his daze.

                "Hey there, Mousse," he said in a tired voice, as the Chinese boy stopped about twenty paces away.  "Any particular reason you waited til now, instead of trying to bust up the actual date?"

                "As if you didn't know," Mousse hissed.  "That was a dirty trick, Saotome, telling the old mummy you would be MEETING Shampoo here now, when this was really when you were going to say goodbye!"

                "Translation:  the ghoul lied to you about the time frame.  Check."  He shook his head.  "Would've been nice if she'd said it was fifteen minutes later than this.  You'd prob'ly have been happier too."

                "Shut up, you bastard."  Mousse's voice trembled with rage.  "How dare you do that with my Shampoo?!"

                "Yep, nothing new here," Ranma muttered to himself.  Louder, he said, "So that was my fault.  Right.  Did ya even HAVE your glasses on when you saw her kiss me?"

                "DIE, SAOTOME!!"  Mousse followed the words with his typical opening move, launching a volley of chains with various unpleasant things on the ends.

                Ranma skipped to one side, sighing as he did.  Same old, same old.  Truth be told, his patience was beginning to wear very thin indeed where this particular nuisance was concerned.  "Y'know something, Duck-boy, I'm getting pretty darn tired of this junk."  A spiked ball whizzed past his head.  "You've been giving me grief since day one."  He leaped over another chain as Mousse tried attacking low.  "Actin' like I'm trying to stab you in the back so I can take Shampoo for myself."

                "Just shut up!!  She's MY bride!  You aren't worthy to even THINK about winning her!"

                Ranma's eyes narrowed dangerously.  "Ya think YOU are?  Think you can just beat me up and drag my unconscious body to Shampoo, and she'll fall right into your arms?"  He laughed scornfully.  "I got news for you, buddy.  She wouldn't look twice at you even if I WASN'T in the picture!  You want a chance at Shampoo, you need to work on making yourself into some kinda halfway-decent guy with at least a little bit of honor!  An' I sure as heck wish you would!!"

                The throwing daggers he'd just selected dropped from Mousse's nerveless fingers.  "You... you _dare_ to say that to me?!  YOU?!"

                It _was_ quite a bit different from the way he'd originally regarded Mousse.  Ranma had been sympathetic when he first learned the other boy's story.  There had been quite a long stretch of time when he would have been willing to help Mousse win Shampoo (although there were sharply defined limits to the lengths to which he'd been prepared to go).  But slowly, as the Chinese boy had acted dishonorably again and again and again, those feelings had curdled.  By now, Ranma held little emotion other than contempt for Shampoo's self-proclaimed true love.

                And so to answer Mousse's incredulous question, the pigtailed martial artist snorted.  "Yeah, me.  The same guy who started out feelin' sorry for you.  The same guy who was a lot nicer to you than you deserve."

                "The same guy who wouldn't know honor if it stuck a sword through him!!" Mousse interjected.

                "You only wish," Ranma snapped back.  "Let's see, who was it who kidnapped Akane to try an' get to me?  Who threw Yazniichuan water around tryin' to hit me, without even caring what kinda innocent people might've ended up cursed?  Who doesn't have any problem with getting someone else and ganging up on me?  First it was with Ryoga, and don't think I don't know it was your idea, and then with the loony-tune Kunos while I had that stupid weakness moxibustion!  And who told Shampoo he was going back to China and leaving her alone, and then just snuck around causin' me trouble until he couldn't stay away from her anymore?

                "Oh, and let's not forget who it was that was so dead set against admitting Shampoo loved me instead of him that he almost let her get cursed to be a... to get stuck in her cursed form for good?  Who couldn't let the girl he SAID he loved kiss the guy SHE said SHE loved, even to save her neck?  Any of this ring any bells with you, Mousse?!"

                "I don't have to take this from you."  By now Mousse's entire body was trembling, rather than just his voice.  He was beyond shouting for the moment, fury causing his words to emerge half-choked.  "Just... just..." the dam broke, "...just DIE!!"

                And with that Mousse gave it his all, flinging weapon after weapon, producing dozens of times his own body weight in concealed instruments of mayhem and hurling them toward his nemesis.

                The sheer volume actually posed something of a challenge.  Ranma had to devote quite a bit of attention to his safety as he dodged and blocked his way through the onslaught.  Approaching Mousse for the knockout was out of the question; with the attacks coming this fast and furious, it was all he could do to hold his ground.  There just wasn't room to maneuver forward.

                And so he maintained his position, blurring as he struck and kicked the various weapons away from him, knocking Mousse's attempts back on themselves and disrupting subsequent ones.  Chains tangled, various edged and blunt objects piled up, and it became ever more obvious that Mousse's efforts, though determined, were as futile as usual.

                The Chinese boy eventually ran out of weaponry and energy.  He stood there, gasping and panting, still trembling with rage but unable to act on it just now.  Ranma just shook his head in disgust, and snaked one foot underneath a discarded chain.  He lifted it to his hand, and began spinning the large, blunt weight on the end.  "Ain't you EVER going to learn, Mousse?"  The boy in question tried to dodge as Ranma launched the chain, but weariness made him stumble.  And then his own weapon encircled him, binding him and clipping his wings.

                Ranma looked away, not because he was bothered by the ferocity of the glare his recent foe was sending his way, but rather trying to find a tree from which to string Mousse up.  The moron didn't have any choice now except to stay put and listen to what he had to say, Ranma thought determinedly, and this time he was going to get through to him even if he had to beat the ideas into Mousse's skull.  At least, that was his intention, though it must be admitted he was operating out of optimism rather than realism.

                And it proved to be a moot point anyway.  Without Mousse's squawking to distract him, Ranma suddenly realized that there was quite a commotion proceeding from another area of the park.  He listened for a few moments, fighting a feeling of mounting dread, and then hurried toward the new disturbance.

***************

                The path of a martial artist is fraught with peril.  It was a saying that had been shown, time and time again, to contain much truth.  And while Ranma was the one who most often felt this truth bite him in the backside, he was far from the only one.  Akane was no stranger to random kidnappings.  Ryoga lived his life one splash of water plus a few moments of bad luck away from becoming a tasty meal.  Ukyo had nearly lost her restaurant twice over.  Figures from his disreputable past occasionally surfaced to cause Genma plenty of anxiety.

                Shampoo was no exception to this rule, either.  From defeating the deadly minstrel Mon Lon, to the encounters with the Ghost Cat, all the way back to her very first defeat by Ranma-chan, the Amazon had had her share of dangers and confrontations.  She knew and accepted that this was an inescapable part of the life she lived.

                That didn't mean she enjoyed getting challenged by one of the girls chasing the man she loved right after she'd ended a date with him, though.

                Shampoo didn't recognize her at first.  She'd only seen this member of the competition once, which had been a week ago and from a distance.  That and the fact that she was currently more interested in reliving a bit of the recent past rather than focusing on anything going on in the present meant Shampoo didn't really pay any attention to the approaching brunette.  Not until Kaori stopped a few feet in front of the Amazon, glaring frostily all the while, did Shampoo come out of her daze.  Her smile began to fade as she put an identity to the face before her.

                "I'd like to know what you thought you were doing with my fiancé," Kaori said, cutting straight to the chase.

***************

                "Hot damn," muttered Kentaro Shimoji, roving ace reporter for a local TV news station.  "Good things do come to those who wait.  Point that camera over there, Toshi, and start filming!"

                Toshi Otohime, his newly assigned cameraman, gave his colleague a blank look.  "What?  A couple of teenage girls that're about to get into a catfight?  Sure they're hot babes, but newsworthy...?"  The blank look morphed into a smirk.  "You wouldn't be wanting this tape just for your personal archive or something, would you?"

                "You wouldn't be asking me that if you'd been around here for long, kid," Kentaro replied with a grin.  "Time to learn about the stuff they didn't teach you in college.  Just roll the film already, and for heaven's sake don't drop the camera when the special effects start flying!"

***************

                Shampoo turned her nose up.  "What matter, take-out girl?  You could not see clearly?  If that is case, Shampoo know better man for you, one you have lot in common with.  Would be glad introduce you to him."

                "I've already got someone."  Kaori's tone dipped into glacial temperatures.  "The guy you just grabbed and kissed."

                "No.  You do not," Shampoo said, her voice adamant and shifting toward threatening.  "Can dream all you want, but it not change what is truth.  It was Shampoo who Ranma take on date today, was Shampoo he say he have good time with.  You think promise made by Genma should make Ranma go to you?  Think so highly of stupid panda man?  Then Shampoo suggest you date with him.  Or anybody else you want.  But leave my Airen alone!"

                "I guess you'd like it if I did," Kaori growled.  "If I just curled up into a little ball and didn't give you any more trouble.  Well, sorry, China girl, I don't think so!"  She drew herself into a ready stance, wishing there had been time to get a bowl of ramen before this confrontation.

                Shampoo whipped out her bonbori.  "Is fine with me.  Shampoo even like it better this way.  Get a nice little relaxing workout!"  She smiled, enjoying the way the other girl's confidence took a sudden dip at the sight of the weapons.  Just like that other wannabe warrior girl.  "You try not make this too too easy, okay, take-out girl?"

                Kaori's arm whipped in an arc, loosing the chopstick she had palmed, while she blessed the fact that her foe's short dress left her legs bare.  The missile darted through the air, grazing Shampoo's right leg in one precise spot.  The Amazon's eyes widened as her limb buckled beneath her, tremors of pain suddenly flaring up from the very tips of her toes.

                The brunette smirked, recovering her equanimity at the success of the attack.  "Sorry, I'm afraid it does look like it's going to be pretty easy.  Better luck next ti--YAHH!"  She skipped to the side, barely dodging Shampoo's thrown bonbori.  The club struck a tree behind Kaori's hastily vacated location, bouncing back to the Amazon's hand.

***************

                Toshi's jaw hung slack.  Fortunately his hands, better trained, maintained the camera at its proper level.  "That... she... look at the bark!"

                Kentaro glanced at the tree, considering the gouge in the bark and noting that the trunk hadn't been cracked through.  "Yeah, she held back a lot.  Probably didn't think Ranma would be too happy if she turned someone into a red smear."

***************

                Shampoo was back on her feet now, gritting her teeth and ignoring the pain in her leg.  She began stalking forward.  Kaori launched another chopstick at Shampoo's other leg, but the Amazon lowered a bonbori and blocked it without slackening pace.  Kaori backpedalled, realizing that if she tried to turn and run she'd never be able to dodge the inevitable thrown weapon.

                Plus there was the fact that she really, _really_ wanted a victory, to make this girl pay for her effrontery with Kaori's fiancé, and to take away the sting of her earlier defeat at the hands of that wretched mystery redhead.  Kaori's face hardened.  At least one good thing had come of that previous battle, the brunette reflected... she was now carrying PLENTY of material for ranged attacks.

                "Too stubborn for your own good," she taunted Shampoo, continuing to back away as the Amazon moved forward, trying a quick one-two chopstick strike.  Both were knocked aside effortlessly.  "I know how much that leg has to be hurting you."

                "Try smacking own self into boulders for many days straight," the other girl growled back.  Ever so slowly, she was closing the distance between them.  "This pain is nothing.  At least, is nothing to what you is going to be feeling soon!"  Very soon indeed, if her enemy failed to realize Shampoo was herding her into a patch of low, tangled brush.  No way could she back through that without falling down.

                "I don't think so."  Kaori brought her arms up into a crossed position.  "Since you don't know when to quit, I guess I'll put you out of your misery!  Daikoku school final attack:  A Thousand Satisfied Customers!!"  Her arms swung down and swept into windmilling motion, as Kaori launched a furious fusillade of chopsticks at Shampoo.

                "KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!!"  Shampoo's bonbori dropped from visibility as she swung them at maximum speed, shielding herself from the chopstick barrage.  With some effort, she managed to replace the technique's usual grimace of concentration with a mocking smile.

                Kaori blanched, cutting the attack short before she exhausted all her ammunition.  "That's pretty impressive."  Her expression hardened again.  "But it's not going to be good enough!"  '_I hope.'  She reached into a pocket, pulling out something new._

                Shampoo blinked.  "A fortune cookie?  What kind of Japanese use silly fake food what really come from America?"

                "You're almost right.  But I'm afraid it's actually a MISfortune cookie!"  Kaori hurled it straight at the Amazon.

                Rather than block this one, Shampoo dodged awkwardly.  Her opponent had to have known she was capable of knocking the thing aside.  She might not like Kaori, but she also didn't think the girl was stupid enough to launch a completely worthless attack.  Shampoo's hunch was proved right as the misfortune cookie struck the ground some little distance behind her, exploding with quite a bit of force.

                "Nice try, but can you keep it up?!"  Kaori launched another cookie, then began flinging more chopsticks.  Shampoo dodged again, with some difficulty, and barely managed to shift into blocking mode in time to deflect the non-explosive projectiles.  But Kaori was now firmly controlling the tempo of battle, and when she sent two cookies sailing along in the chopstick stream, there was nothing Shampoo could do but grasp her bonbori as tightly as she could, and hope.

                The dual explosions knocked her right off her feet.  She maintained her grip on her weapons, but couldn't shrug off the force transmitted through them.  Her hands were still clenched tightly around the hafts of the maces, but she couldn't even feel them.  Her arms were in slightly better shape; she could still move them, although it felt like she was pushing through wet concrete to do so.

                Kaori smirked, adding insult to injury, and launched one more precision chopstick strike, nailing the Amazon's remaining good limb.  Shampoo hissed in pain as her left leg joined the right in near-rebellion.

                "See you later," the Martial Arts Takeout girl said cheerfully.  "But when I do, I'd better not see you with Ranma.  Is that underst... oh, come on, this is ridiculous."  Shampoo had just struggled back to her feet.  Despite the pain on her face and her generally battered condition, she was now sporting a fierce battle aura.  "I'm still carrying enough ammunition to finish you, China girl."

                "Good," Shampoo said, menace thick in her words.  Her aura twisted, flowing down her arms.  "Hope you have many of those cowardly cookie weapons left."  Her bonbori were now glowing brightly.  Too late, Kaori scrambled for more weapons.  "Hope they all go off at once!  HYAHHH!!"  And with that, through the protests in her arms, ignoring the numbness in her hands, she brought her battered maces slamming together, releasing a massive wave of energy straight toward Kaori.

                It was a really, _really _bad time for Ranma to rush between them in an attempt to stop the fight.

                He just had time to realize what he'd done, but not to brace himself.  The chi blaze slammed into him, bowling him over and sending him plowing into the dirt.  His body dug a noticeable trench before coming to rest, twitching spasmodically with wisps of smoke rising from him.  "...ouch..."

                "Airen!"  Her bonbori fell from nerveless fingers.  Ignoring the pain in her legs, Shampoo hurried toward him as best she could, remorse hurting her worse than her injuries.  Nailing the man she loved with a potentially lethal attack did NOT strike her as a good follow-up on their date.  "Is you okay?!"

                "Don't you think you've done enough?!  Get away from him!" Kaori snapped, coming up along Ranma's other side.  Only the loss of Shampoo's weapons gave her the nerve to do so.  "Ranma, how do you feel?  Is it safe to move you?!  Don't worry, I'll get you to a doctor!"

                "Take own self!!" Shampoo snarled, rage giving her the focus she needed to slam a knife hand blow into the center of the other girl's breastbone.  Kaori was knocked backward, falling to the ground with a muffled cry of pain.

                "That's... enough..." Ranma gritted, forcing his way back to his knees.  "Cut it out... both of you."  He made it the rest of the way back to his feet.

                "Okay, Airen.  Come on now," Shampoo said worriedly.  "We go back to Cat Café, get Great-Grandmother to look at you."

                "Forget it," he said with a sigh.  "It ain't that bad."  When Shampoo began to protest again, he cut her off.  "Right now I just want to get out of here without any more grief."  He gave Shampoo a hard look, then shifted it to Kaori.  "That means both of you head on home peacefully too."  Ranma turned, and began to walk away.

                "R- Ranma.  No go like this," Shampoo said, her voice trembling.  "Please no turn away now.  This not Shampoo's fault!!"

                He stopped, and gave a deep sigh.  Without turning around he responded, "I don't remember sayin' it was.  It's just another one of those things that happens all the time around here."

***************

                Once he was reasonably sure Shampoo wasn't following him and wouldn't see it happen, Ranma collapsed onto a bench.  He wasn't as wasted as he'd been after his first encounter with Ryoga's Shi Shi Hokodan, but he wasn't far from it either.  Walking away from Shampoo and Kaori without staggering had just about been the limit of what he was capable of right now.  If any of his rivals turned up in the next little while, he wouldn't even be able to use the Saotome Secret Technique to end the fight.

                It was an unwelcome truth, one which Ranma tried to push out of his mind.  He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on recovering.  Immediately, however, an equally unpleasant thought bobbled up... namely, if he went back to the Tendo home now, his battered condition would raise some awkward questions.  Somehow, he just couldn't see anything good coming from an explanation that he'd gotten caught in the crossfire of a brawl between Shampoo and Kaori.

                Obviously, then, the thing to do was wait on this nice, comfortable bench until he felt better, and in the meantime try to think up a cover story for when he got back home.  Judging from past experience, with chi blasts in particular and getting the crud beaten out of him in general, Ranma estimated that in a couple of hours he'd be feeling like someone had wrapped his body in wet towels and then wrung them dry.  A BIG step up from his current condition.  Heck, even Tsubasa Kurenai might be more than he could handle just now.

                With a mental scowl, Ranma pushed that thought away again.  It shouldn't be a problem, he reminded himself.  The time was getting on toward early evening, which meant dinner, which meant that most of the usual nutcases would be busy elsewhere.  Ryoga might suddenly pop up, but the lost boy had enough honor not to attack someone this battered.  He'd seen that during the business with the Weakness Moxibustion, when Ryoga had defended him from Kuno and Mousse...

                Mousse...

                Ranma's eyes widened as the nagging whisper from his subconscious mind finally broke through to a cluster of mainstream neurons.  Mousse... whom he had left chained up in a nearby park.  Mousse, who was probably not far now from working his way free.  Mousse, who might or might not head straight back to the Cat Café after his ignominious defeat.  Mousse, who might be tired, but who would still be more than Ranma could handle in his present state.

                With a not-very-suppressed groan, the Saotome heir forced his way back to his feet, and began walking down the lane, heading for home.  Not until he'd covered four block's distance did he remember that he hadn't wanted to go back there just yet.

                "This sucks," he muttered.  "Shampoo, why'd ya have to use such a stupid overkill technique anyway?"  He shook his head disgustedly.  "Where'm I supposed to go now?"  And then he stopped, head turned to one side, blinking as he realized just where he was, and what he was looking at.

                He stood there for a long moment, then deliberately turned and walked through the door into Ucchan's Okonomiyaki.

***************

                It hadn't changed in the past three weeks, Ranma noted.  There were a fair number of customers present, no surprise considering the time of day.  It felt nice, somehow, to see that Ucchan was still doing good business.  She was standing behind the grill, and hadn't seen him so far, as she was busy preparing three okonomiyaki at once.

                The early dinner rush hadn't really started yet, so there were a few empty seats available.  Ranma hesitated, then walked over and claimed the one right in front of the grill.

                Ukyo flipped the okonomiyaki onto plates, then looked up with a smile.  "Welcome to Uc... chan's..."  The smile drained away, leaving her wearing a strange expression that Ranma didn't really know how to qualify.  As if moving on its own, her arm passed the finished okonomiyaki down the counter.  She took a deep breath.  "Ranma."

                "Yeah, Ucchan, it's me."  Ranma blinked.  As if by magic, a throwing spatula had appeared in the chef's hand.  "Ah, wait a minute..."

                Ukyo ignored him, launching the missile.  It winged through the air and struck the sign on her door, causing it to switch from 'open' to 'closed'.

                "Nice shot," Ranma said, breathing a little easier.

                The chef ignored the compliment, turning to look at him with a hopeful intensity that made him less comfortable than when he thought she'd pulled a weapon on him.  "Ranma.  Is... is there something you wanted to tell me?"

                "There is," Ranma confirmed, not meeting her gaze.  "Like you can see, I'm not in good shape right now.  I kinda... need a place to stay for the next couple of hours, to recover.  And some okonomiyaki would be really nice too."  He gulped.  "I've missed those."

                Without a word, Ukyo turned back to the grill, preparing a jumbo house special.  She passed it to Ranma, who took the offering with a mental sigh of relief.  She wasn't going to throw him out, then.  It had taken longer than he'd expected, but she apparently wasn't going to stick to that ultimatum she'd laid down in front of him last time he was here.

                "Ranma?" Ukyo said as he finished the last bite of his okonomiyaki.  "Do you remember what I said last time you were here?"

                Ranma sweated.  "Y- yeah?"  

                "I'm not blind or stupid enough not to see that... that's not why you're here," Ukyo said quietly.  "You've got a lot of nerve coming back now.  Doing... just doing the same thing you always do.  Coming by here for a meal, and a nice place to visit."

                "Look, Ucchan, that's not fair..."

                Ukyo shot out one hand, the gesture breaking up Ranma's protest.  "Seven hundred yen."

                "W- what?"

                "Seven hundred yen.  That's the price of a house special, Ranma.  Just be glad I'm not charging you for all the others you've mooched off me before."

                Ranma closed his eyes, feeling first betrayal, and then anger.  In one second all the memories came rushing back, memories of how he'd felt these past few weeks, how it had hurt when she ignored him.  That was NOT the way a friend should act, a part of him had railed in the back of his mind.

                And it spoke aloud now, as he opened his eyes.  "Ucchan, is that any way... for..."

                The sight before him derailed his train of thought.  He couldn't meet Ukyo's eyes, because her head was completely downcast, leaving her staring directly at the floor.  Not that he expected she could see it clearly, as tears were falling, dropping one after the other with little interval between.  Her shoulders were trembling, but somehow her outstretched hand held rock steady.

                His righteous indignation vanished in a heartbeat.  A heartbeat that felt as if it had come from the pit of his stomach rather than his chest.  "Ucchan... I..."  Abandoning words, he pulled his wallet out of his pocket, and fumbled through it, removing the requested sum and dropping it in her palm.  "I'm sorry."  Even he knew it was inadequate, but it was all Ranma could manage.  He got up from his seat.

                "N- no, Ranma.  Sit down.  Stay here.  Take... take those couple of hours you wanted.  Get your strength back here, where it's always been safe.  And then go on back to the Tendo place."

                "Um... that... I don't..." Ranma didn't know what he was trying to say, but his reluctance came through clearly enough.  He glanced around as if searching for inspiration; it came as a distant shock to realize that once again all the customers had melted away.

                Head still downcast, Ukyo turned and walked toward the stairs that led to her living quarters.  "I mean it, Ranma.  Stay."  Her voice came tightly controlled.  "If you ever thought of me as any kind of friend, stay here and recover.  Just... just don't come upstairs..."  She paused on the stairway.  The control slipped, nearly fracturing.  "And you might..." she drew a shuddering breath, "m- might want to _wipe off Shampoo's _GODDAMN _LIPSTICK_!!"

***************

                '_Saotome, you idiot, you owe me big time for this.'_

                It was with an increasing effort of will that Nabiki maintained her nonchalant pose on the couch, flipping through a manga in a posture that spoke of bored unconcern.  Ranma wasn't back yet.  Ranma should have been back an hour ago.  And if Ranma didn't get his sorry carcass back here soon, Nabiki wasn't sure she could keep her end of their bargain.  Akane was already restless, sneaking glances at a clock every five minutes.  Nabiki had told her that she had sent Ranma off to run some errands for her, which had neatly explained his early afternoon absence.  It was even true, as far as it went, though Nabiki hadn't felt it judicious to add that said errands would only take about fifteen minutes, tops.

                It had been enough to hold her little sister for a while.  After a couple of hours had passed, Akane had oh-so-casually asked whether the tasks Nabiki had set for Ranma involved renting him out to his other fiancées.  Secretly VERY grateful for the way her sister had phrased the question, Nabiki had forced her face to register nothing but amusement.  After confirming that the answer was 'no', she'd had an entertaining ten minutes needling Akane with questions as to just why she was so concerned.

                That had settled little sister down for the last hour, but the effect was wearing off now.  As if to illustrate this point, Akane spoke up.  "It won't be much longer until Kasumi calls us all in for dinner, Nabiki.  Should it really take Ranma this long to get everything done?"

                "Honestly?  No, Akane, not unless something unexpected came up."  Nabiki figured that since something unexpected almost surely HAD come up, she might as well admit that.  "But considering that we're talking about Ranma Saotome, that could just mean he realized he didn't know how to get to the places I told him to go.  For all we know, he could still be trying to find the first stop on his itinerary because he's too macho to ask somebody for directions, and too dense to think about calling me here."

                "Hmmph.  So I shouldn't worry about that baka, huh?"

                "Oh no, I didn't say _that_," Nabiki replied with a smirk.  "_I'm not worried, at least I won't be unless he actually misses dinner.  But that doesn't mean you shouldn't worry about him."_

                "What?  Why not?!"

                "Because this is just TOO entertaining.  I haven't had this much fun in days," the middle Tendo said dryly.  "Watching you pretend like you don't care about him, even though you're getting completely bent out of shape just because he's not around."

                Akane sniffed, tilting her nose into the air.  "You wish!"  She picked up the television remote and switched the set on, pointedly focusing on it and ignoring her sister.

                '_That might hold her for another thirty minutes,' Nabiki estimated.  '__IF I'm lucky.  Saotome, I should have known better than to think you might be able to handle your part of this deal.  Couldn't you manage one simple little date without getting... into...'_

                It was at this point that the scene on the 'human interest' segment of the evening news registered with Nabiki.  She sat there, stock still, shifting her attention between the set and Akane.  Watching as Shampoo and Kaori screamed at each other, each claiming Ranma was rightfully hers.  Wincing as Shampoo said her piece about a date, after Kaori had said HERS about a kiss.  Giving a long, deep sigh of regret as she examined her sister, who sat as if carved from stone while a battle aura blazed around her.  '_Geez, Saotome, when you blow it, you really blow it big, don't you?_'

                Her answer came quickly, as the sound of an opening door was followed by Ranma's weary call of "I'm home!"

                Nabiki winced again, closing her eyes as a sudden breeze blew her hair around.  That had been Akane, exiting the room at a speed Nabiki _never_ saw her sister attain when she was practicing martial arts.  The middle Tendo kept her eyes closed, shaking her head and muttering, "Ranma, Ranma, Ranma..." while trying not to listen too closely to the inevitable confrontation.

                She knew Akane had been trying to control her temper better lately, but right now Nabiki wouldn't give a bent yen coin for Ranma's chances of emerging unscathed.

                "You want to tell me where you were all this time, Ranma?"  That was Akane, her voice coming sharp with pain and hot with anger.

                "Got caught in a fight."  Ranma, weary, tired, in more than a bit of his own pain, and not even close to perceptive enough to see just how deep he was in it right now.  "Stayed at Ucchan's for a little while to recover, and she basically made me feel like a worse heel than Kuno for going back when I wasn't there to tell her I'd picked her.  So I ain't in a good mood right now, Akane, and I'd like to get... by..."  That would be where he finally began to notice the battle aura, and the fire in her eyes.

                "Nothing else?"  Little sister's voice, hard and raspy.  Nabiki wondered whether Ranma would realize, later, that that particular tone was the sound of choked back tears.  "Nothing like, maybe, you taking Shampoo on a date?  Like maybe you KISSING her, Ranma?!"

                Shock that had completely destroyed what feeble discretionary verbal skills he had.  "H- how'd you know?!"

                "_I HATE YOU!!"  The scream, and the swish, and the thunk of wood on flesh, and the crunch of a body embedded into the floor.  At least he hadn't gone crashing through multiple walls, Nabiki noted.  She waited until she heard Akane storm away, then went out and checked on him.  If she was any judge, and the number of times she'd 'assisted' Tatewaki to the nurse's office had taught her fairly well, he wouldn't be waking up before morning._

                "Sweet dreams, Saotome," she muttered ironically.  "Don't think I'm letting you off the hook on that favor, either.  I did the best anyone could, but I'm not liable for Acts of God."  She shook her head, and went to fetch Kasumi.

***************

                When he was much younger, Ranma had passed through an experience no-one should ever endure.  The Cat-Fist training had been a little piece of hell on earth; misery and pain and terror and betrayal all rolled up into a ball, garnished with fish products, and sent careening into a nightmare of darkness, claws, and teeth.  Those episodes had left him scarred, but they had also demonstrated a basic truth of the human psyche:  when stress builds high enough, the mind _will_ force a way to escape.

                Or embrace one, when an offer is made.

                Slowly and dimly, he became aware of sensation.  Sparkles of light against velvet blackness.  The wind in his hair.  Motion, surrounding him, cocooning and caressing him.  The impressions were distant, vague, seemingly part of an unimportant background rather than anything worth examining in detail.

                Still, the martial artist within him wanted more than that.  Needed an awareness of the environment around him.  Lazily, one corner of his mind attempted to focus, though the dreamlike state made it difficult; the senses that he had honed so sharply over the course of his training seemed sleepy, unwilling to concentrate.  His mind felt like it was wrapped in soft cotton, which was comforting and pleasurable to be sure, but made it difficult to discern just what was happening.  

He was dimly aware of this, but somehow it didn't matter much.  The situation wasn't alarming, just... curious.  And that curiosity led him to stretch out, analyze his surroundings as best he could, and see.  He was... he was...

                He was flying through the night sky?

                ~_Shh.  Relax, Ranma.~_

                It couldn't be considered a voice.  Certainly it was nothing he heard with his ears.  The words weren't there, and then they were, softer than the moonlight on the clouds above him, closer than the air that slipped around his form.

                ~_Don't try so hard.  Just enjoy the dream._~

                A dream?  Of course, Ranma thought muzzily, that explained it.  Curiosity satisfied, he relaxed into the embrace of the wind and the darkness, feeling a pleasant sensation of release as recent stress drained away.

                ~_That's better.  Let it go, Ranma.~_  A pause, then the words came again, even softer than before. _ ~I've missed you._~ 

***************

                "Ranma?"

                He stirred slightly.

                "Ranma, it's time to get up."

                The pillow was pulled over his head.

                "Breakfast is ready."

                Kasumi caught the pillow as it flew past her, catapulted by Ranma's sudden sit-up.  "Huh?"  The Saotome heir blinked at her for a few seconds, before giving a tremendous yawn.  "Oh.  Thanks, Kasumi."

                The eldest Tendo daughter regarded him with an uncharacteristically grave look on her face.  She knew Ranma was resilient, but this...?  He seemed in much too good a mood, considering how his day had ended yesterday.  "I'm glad you're feeling better this morning," she said tentatively.

                "Huh?  Feeling better?"  At which point the blissful grace period of morning amnesia came to an end.  Kasumi winced, already regretting saying anything, as Ranma's face fell.  "Heh.  Well, I was.  Had nice dreams at least."

                "I'm sorry, Ranma," she offered awkwardly.  "Maybe today will be a better day."

                Ranma turned and looked toward the window, and the bright sunlight that streamed down outside.  He closed his eyes, remembering the calm quiet and the wind in his hair.  His lips curved slightly, becoming at least the ghost of the smile he'd been wearing when she woke him.  "Maybe, Kasumi.  I can hope, can't I?"

***************************************************************

                Afterword

                This was SUPPOSED to be the first of three chapters, to be continued in 'Night of Ghosts and Shadows', and concluded in 'Dawn's Uncertain Light'.  Instead, the story is stretching to five.  Detailed Author's Notes will appear at the end.


	2. Through the Gathering Dark

                Nocturne

                A Ranma ½ fanfic by Aondehafka

                Disclaimer: the Ranmaverse characters owned by Rumiko Takahashi, and all that obligatory stuff.  This story based on the anime, not the manga.

*********************************************************

                Chapter 2:  Through the Gathering Dark

***************

                "Ranma."

                "H- huh?!"  It was clear that this request for his attention had caught him by surprise.  Ranma froze in his tracks, only just now realizing that Akane had stopped walking as well.  "Did you say something, Akane?"

                Well might he ask.  His fiancée hadn't had much to say to him since Wednesday evening of the previous week.  On Thursday and Friday Akane had left very early for school, early enough that he hadn't even seen her until he arrived at Furinkan.  She'd spent the afternoons in the dojo, reducing a truly remarkable number of cinderblocks to rubble.

                He'd kind of hoped that he'd get a chance during the weekend to tell her what really happened, to get it through her head that it had been Shampoo kissing him, not the other way around.  But Akane had disappeared on Saturday morning, going off to spend the day and night with friends from school, and when she got back on Sunday afternoon Nabiki had shooed him away so that she could talk with her younger sister.  He didn't know what they'd spent so much time discussing, wasn't even sure he wanted to know, and the long and short of it was he'd still had no chance to talk to Akane and tell her what happened hadn't been his fault.

                Which was why the fact that here and now SHE had initiated the conversation was a bit surprising.  Akane hadn't left so early this morning, but she hadn't paid Ranma any attention either.  They'd walked several blocks in silence, with Akane some fifteen feet ahead of him and not looking back.

                Ranma had halted fairly quickly after she did, but there was still about ten feet separating them.  With the distance still between them, and with her back still turned to him, Akane spoke up again.  "I... had a talk with Nabiki yesterday, Ranma."

                After a few moments of silence had stretched out uncomfortably, Ranma said, "Yeah?"

                "She..."  He heard her take a deep breath, "she said some things... Ranma, I need to know if what she said was true.  Will you please just once be really honest with me?"

                Ranma allowed himself the luxury of a bitter grimace, glad that her stance meant she wouldn't see it.  '_Thanks for making it sound like I lie to you all the time, Akane.'  Aloud, he said, "Yeah, okay.  Remember this is Nabiki we're talking about, though.  IF I know whether what she said was true, I'll tell ya."_

                "Well, if you don't nobody does!" Akane returned.  "She said that... that you didn't want to go out on that date.  That Shampoo tricked you into it."

                "Huh?"  Ranma boggled for a few seconds, struck off-balance by the fact that Nabiki had apparently helped him out without being asked, or asking anything in return.  Recovering his sense of poise, he said, "That's almost right, Akane.  I..."  He sighed.  "You know me an' my big mouth.  I said something that hurt Shampoo's feelings, and then I kinda blurted out that I'd do something to make up for it before I really thought about what I was sayin'.  It wasn't so much her tricking me; she just took advantage when I left myself open."

                "And..." Akane's voice shook, and her hands were balled tightly into fists at her sides, "and what about the kiss?  Nabiki said Shampoo grabbed you when you weren't looking.  That it wasn't your fault at all."

                "How the HECK does she find these things out?!" Ranma asked the heavens.  "I mean, _I_ didn't tell her, and I'm sure Shampoo wouldn't'a put it like that, and there wasn't anybody else who saw... except for Mousse... or maybe Kaori..."  By the end of the sentence, the bewildered fury had trickled out of his tone, leaving his next words more sheepish than anything else.  "Well, maybe it wouldn't have been too hard for her to ask around and put the real story together.  Anyway, yeah, Akane, that's what happened.  She looked over my shoulder and yelled, like there was somethin' horrible coming up behind me, I turned and looked, and when I turned back around... well, you know..."

                "Yes, I know!" Akane said, pain in her voice.  She forced herself not to think about those particular details, though, pushing them to the back of her mind to concentrate on something else.  Something that hurt as well, but in a different way.  "Ranma... I'm sorry."

                "You mean... you believe me?" he asked cautiously, taking a few steps toward her, stopping again when he'd covered half the remaining distance.

                "You couldn't tell a convincing lie to save your life.  Yes, I believe you... it wasn't your fault..."  Akane drew a deep breath.  "I didn't want to blame you for something that wasn't.  I'm sorry."

                "Eh, don't worry about it.  It's no big deal."

                "Really?  Are you sure?"

                "I'm sure, Akane."

                She let out a relieved breath, and turned around to face him.  "I'm glad.  And you know, it really was a little bit your fault too.  After all, when you got back and I asked about YOU kissing SHAMPOO, you asked how I knew instead of telling me it was the other way around."

                "I'll try and get it right the next time," Ranma grumbled.  Like anything he'd said at that point would really have made a difference.

                Akane frowned.  "There better not BE a next time anytime soon!  Honestly, Ranma, you need to stand up for yourself more.  Stop letting Shampoo take advantage of you like that!"

                "I really wish it was that simple," he muttered under his breath.

                "What was that?  I didn't hear what you said."

                Walking the rest of the way over to her, and raising his voice to normal speaking tones, Ranma replied, "We're gonna be late to class if we don't get moving, Akane.  C'mon, let's go."

***************

                They walked quite a distance in silence before Ranma spoke up again.  The relief he'd felt on making up with Akane hadn't been enough to drive another problem from his mind, another thing he was going to have to face soon.  It might even happen that today would be the day.  And he had an unhappy suspicion that if he wasn't careful, he could easily end up upsetting Akane again.  She had really been angry this last time, and would probably be even more touchy than usual for the next little while.  On the other hand, hopefully she would also be more ready to give him the benefit of the doubt if he explained something ahead of time.

                "Hey, Akane," he said, after spending some few minutes considering the best way to start things off.

                He'd been walking beside her since their earlier conversation, so Akane didn't have to stop and turn around to look at him.  "What is it?"

                "Just something I needed to tell you, about what happened last week."

                Akane sighed.  "Listen, Ranma, I'd rather just forget it for now, okay?  I don't want to talk about Shampoo or that day any more!"

                "Huh?  No, it's not that.  This happened earlier on.  Day before that, actually."

                "Oh.  You mean when you had your study date with Kaori?"  The hairs on the back of Ranma's neck stirred.  Akane's tone and expression were darkening.  Blast it, this was what he'd been trying to AVOID by bringing this up now!

                "Yes and no, Akane."  Too late to quit now.  Ranma forged on ahead.  "We didn't actually get any studying done."  Eyeing the facial tic that his fiancée had suddenly developed, and running that last sentence back through his mind, he blurted out, "That ain't what it sounded like!  I mean I got caught in the rain on the way to her place and she ran into me in the street just a little later!"

                "So what?!" Akane demanded.  Then she blinked, as for some strange reason a vision of Kodachi pranced through her head.  "Wait a minute... you don't mean you've never told her about your curse?!"

                "Nope, not yet."  Ranma breathed a quick sigh of relief.  "So all she saw then was the girl who took her down in the Martial Arts Takeout race.  And she wanted a piece of my hide for payback."

                "What did you do?"

                "Kaori didn't give me a whole lotta choice, actually."  Ranma shrugged, looking uncomfortable.  "She attacked me, didn't give me a chance to explain or nothing, did her best to squish me flat on the pavement.  Story of my life, really."

                The youngest Tendo sniffed.  "Just like you're always picking on Ryoga.  Sounds like karma to me."

                "Yeah, well, I never tried chokin' Ryoga with a stupid noose made outta ramen noodles.  Or any other kinda noose."  Ranma didn't even bother trying to correct her impression of who was at fault in his battles with the lost boy.  By now he was resigned that that was one truth he'd never make her see.  "I never hid chopsticks up my sleeves so someone who tried to block my punches got some nasty bruises for their troubles."

                Akane bit her lower lip.  "Was it really that bad, Ranma?"  She was used to Ranma thoroughly outclassing everyone his age.  Getting caught between Shampoo and Kaori was one thing, but she wouldn't have thought he'd have that rough a time in a one-on-one battle.

                "Well, it ain't like I couldn't handle it or nothing.  But it wasn't any fun."

                "I'm sorry."  A bit belatedly, Akane was remembering the time she had faced Kaori in battle.  Even Shampoo had never fought her so ferociously, never given her that kind of pain.  "What happened then?  Did you win?"

                "Yeah, when I got sick of taking it I knocked her out, took her to her apartment, an' left her there."  Ranma was looking ahead into the distance, and missed seeing the way Akane's eyes widened and her face paled at this.  "Avoided her at school the next day, cause I wasn't feeling up to talking to her about all this.  And maybe you didn't notice, but she wasn't there Thursday or Friday.  So I still need to talk to her, tell her what's going on, and maybe today'll be the day.  Just wanted you to know, if you see me going off to talk to Kaori all by myself."

                "O- okay, Ranma.  Thanks for warning me," Akane said quietly.

                He gave her a strange glance, wondering why she'd used that tone.  However, she didn't seem angry or hurt, so he let it go.  The gates of Furinkan were right up ahead of them, anyway... time to concentrate on other things, he decided.

***************

                Kaori wasn't the only one whose recent absences from Furinkan had been a bit of a relief to the pigtailed boy.  The school had seen neither hide nor hair of Tatewaki Kuno for the last two weeks.  These days the kendoist ranked relatively low on Ranma's scale of annoyances, and so he hadn't paid too much attention to the matter.  It had been good for the occasional moment of mild thankfulness, nothing more.

                However, all good things must come to an end, and when Ranma and Akane entered the schoolyard, they found Tatewaki standing there waiting.  Ranma sighed and rolled his eyes.  Akane frowned, expecting him to rush up for what he called 'celebrating their passion' and she called molestation.  It had been two weeks since he'd seen his fierce tigress, after all, and she was sure Kuno was eager to make up for lost time.

                Truth be told, however, a small part of her was a little glad to see him.  HERE was someone she could pound flat and not feel guilty about it at all!  As soon as he moved in to grab her, she was going to send him flying far enough that it'd take him ANOTHER fortnight to get back!

                "Akane Tendo... truly you are a sight for sore eyes," Kuno said.  Akane blinked, surprised not at the words but rather the tone in which Tatewaki had spoken.  It was a strange mixture of harsh intensity and tightly-wound control, with undertones that she couldn't quite identify.  Kuno's eyes gave much the same impression; they were bloodshot, and there were dark circles underneath, but a light of force and focus shone through, denying the physical evidences of weariness.

                The upperclassman had paused after that first sentence, falling silent to stare at her.  The intensity of his regard quickly made Akane extremely uncomfortable, but a few seconds later, just before she could decide on a response, Tatewaki tore his gaze away.  "But needs I must ask you to go ahead now into the school building, my goddess.  For the task before the Blue Thunder cannot wait even for the love we share."

                "And what task is that," Ranma asked in a bored tone of voice.  "Oh, wait, lemme guess.  Time to challenge the vile sorcerer again to try an' free Akane and the pigtailed girl.  Right?"

                "Be still before your betters until spoken to, dog," Kuno spat.  "I would have words with you, and it is my wish that a challenge would _not_ become necessary."

                Ranma frowned.  THAT he hadn't expected.  Did the kendoist mean what he said?  He wasn't above using trickery, but it didn't really seem like him to lie outright.  On the other hand, now that Kuno's attention was directed solely toward him, Ranma could plainly see hatred seething in the older boy's expression.

                Akane could see it just as plainly.  "What did you want to talk to him about, Kuno?"

                "It is a matter of my family honor.  It is not right to involve you.  Please, Akane Tendo, go now."

                Ranma glanced to the side, noting the mulish cast of determination that was settling onto Akane's face.  "C'mon, Akane, just head on in.  You know how stubborn Kuno is.  Sooner you go ahead, sooner I can figure out what this bozo wants."

                "Well, excuse me for being a little worried!  Look at him, Ranma.  He really seems angry!"

                "Yeah?  So?"

                Akane threw up her hands in frustration.  "Fine!  Sorry!  Sorry I even thought for a minute that he might decide to attack you anyway!"  She turned, intending to stomp off into the school.

                "Akane."  The tone of Ranma's voice froze her mid-stride.  The youngest Tendo turned back, and her fiancé continued.  "You said to look at him?  Well, I can see he's angry."  Kuno's face was pale, frozen in a mask of controlled anger at the way the two teens were speaking about him as if he weren't there to hear.  However, he made no sign of acknowledgement, just continued standing still and waiting.

                "Now why don't you look?" Ranma said, gesturing toward the kendoist.  "I mean _really_ look.  His hair's all mussed up.  His eyes are all red and bleary.  You can tell he's been wearing that same stupid kendo outfit for days now.  He's _tired, Akane.  This's someone who's getting near the end of his strength, and is just pushing himself along with willpower._

                "And on top of that, it's _Kuno._  Mr. Blue Thunder himself."  Ranma's voice took on a sharper edge.  "You think I need to be protected from HIM?!"

                "Fine, Ranma," Akane said tightly.  "Sorry for caring."  She turned again, and walked ahead into the school.

                "I see you yet hold her in your bonds of foul sorcery, Saotome," Kuno's voice rasped.  "That she would think to shield such a one as you from such a one as me."

                "Kuno, will you just tell me what you want?" Ranma snapped.  "You said you were in a hurry.  So talk already."

                "Very well."  Kuno's eyes narrowed.  In a tone of vicious hatred held back by iron control, he said, "You will tell me what you have done with my sister."

                Ranma blinked.  "What?"

                "Do not play GAMES with me!!"  Even iron can fracture.  "She has disappeared out of our home, vanished these past weeks.  Thanks to your dark magics, you are the one and only creature in this world who could demand her obedience and receive it!"  Kuno pulled a bokken from the interior of his robes.  "She is my SISTER, Saotome!  Tell me where you have hidden her, release her from the snares in which you have bound her, and I will allow you to walk free until another day!!"

                "I mighta known it would be something this stupid," Ranma muttered.  "I had nothing to do with Kodachi disappearing, Kuno.  I can tell you where to look for her, though... she got locked up in the psycho ward for tryin' to assassinate some gymnastics rivals or something."

                "VICIOUS _LIES_!!" Kuno roared, flecks of spittle appearing on his lips.  "The great and noble House of Kuno would never be tainted by such darkness!"  With a great deal of effort, he resumed his façade of control.  "I have heard these tales and found them to be groundless rumors, spread by lesser men jealous of my glory.  It does not surprise me in the least to find that you, Saotome, are their source."  He trembled, seeming for a moment as if straining against some invisible leash.  "I warn you for the last time.  Though I have searched long and hard and have not yet discovered her, though I humble myself to asking that you release her, do not think that silence can save you now.  Wherever you have hidden my sister, I will seek her out and recover her, with or without your aid.  The only choice you have today is to yield to my wishes, or die on my blade here and now!"

                "You've finally lost it for good, haven't you?" Ranma said quietly.  Just this once, as he regarded Tatewaki Kuno there was no annoyance, anger, or disgust on his face.  Only pity, and discomfort.  The sight of someone broken like this was something he'd have been happy to avoid for his entire life.  "Kuno, if I knew where Kodachi was," meaning which particular asylum held her, "I'd take you to her."  '_So they could put you in a cell near her and try to get you well too_.'

                "So you hold your silence even now.  Very well, Saotome."  Kuno moved his bokken into a ready position.  "You may be silent for all eternity in the grave!"

***************

                Ranma spared the barest fraction of an instant to glance around, confirming that they were the only two present in the schoolyard.  By the time he returned his full attention to the fight before him, Tatewaki was already charging, bokken raised high, his face a rictus snarl of hatred.  The kendoist closed the distance quickly, bringing the weapon arcing downward.  Ranma shifted to one side, allowing the blow to miss him by several inches.  Considering the strength with which Tatewaki had made the strike, Ranma was quite impressed when the older boy halted his weapon's descent before it could bury itself in the ground.  The Saotome heir danced backward, evading the follow-up sideways strike as well.

                "YOU WILL FALL!!" Kuno roared, and suddenly the tempo of his attacks increased dramatically.  Ranma's eyes widened as he adjusted his own speed, nearly too late to avoid a strike toward his throat.  Tatewaki was NEVER this fast when watermelons weren't involved!

                And yet, that wasn't true, Ranma would later remember.  There had been one time, after Happosai had trained Kuno to face him, when the kendoist had found reserves of speed that he had never before touched.  The ancient lecher had presented him with what he had said was an elixir of super-speed.  Tatewaki had accepted this as truth, believing it with a stubbornness that only a Kuno could achieve, and that belief, rather than the true unsavory contents of the 'elixir', had enabled him to move with a speed greater than Ranma himself could match.  The fight might have ended badly indeed, except for the true nature of the aid Happosai had given his unsuspecting student.  Kuno had great resistance against blows to the head, but his stomach was far weaker, and indigestion had taken him down more painfully than Ranma ever had.  And it seemed that here and now, fury, self-deception, and madness were forming an adequate substitute for Happosai's little bit of trickery.

                However, through training and through desperate challenges, Ranma had come a long way himself since that other battle.  While doing so could not be described as effortless, this time the Saotome heir wove his way through Kuno's furious barrage, usually dodging the bokken, occasionally deflecting it instead with the flat of his hand.  Several times he forced an opening, when he could have lashed out and nailed Kuno easily with a counterstrike, but Ranma refrained from taking the opportunities.  Considering how much energy his foe was expending, and remembering the signs of weariness that had already been there before their battle began, Ranma expected the older boy would collapse from exhaustion before too much longer.

                After a couple of minutes of this, in which near-misses had decimated a tree and several sections of wall, and during which Kuno's fury and power had not lessened in the slightest, Ranma changed his mind.  Later, when he had time for more than just split-second decisions, he would remember hearing that truly insane individuals can be capable of truly remarkable feats of strength and stamina.  

                For now, though, there really wasn't time for reflection.  The flow of battle had put him between the school and Kuno, and the air pressure from the kendoist's missed strikes was beginning to crack glass in the windows.  In that instant the decision was made; Ranma wasn't about to let any innocent bystanders get hurt because of his inaction.  One way or another, Kuno was going down now.

                As the next strike blurred toward him, he poured every possible ounce of speed into his left arm, reaching out, bracing his forearm above the bokken, pressing down, altering its path, and forcing the tip into the ground.  His right arm came around only the merest fraction of a second later, striking near the hilt of the wooden blade in the instant before Kuno could recover from the failed attack.  It was a blow that should have shattered the weapon, especially considering how much stress the bokken had already suffered from attacks that missed their target and tore up the surrounding environment.

                Instead of snapping the bokken, however, Ranma's punch finally knocked away the wooden covering that hid the katana underneath.

                The steel gave a muted ring as his right fist slammed through the concealing halves of wood and struck the flat of the blade.  The impact was painful, to say the least.  However, his left arm faired rather worse... the katana was of the straight variety rather than the curved, and it had been hidden upside-down within the bokken.  Which, as the remains of the disguise fell away, left Ranma's forearm pressing down against the edge of the blade.

                Tatewaki wasn't the only one who could draw on new depths of speed in a crisis situation.  All the various onlookers inside the school saw was a blur, ending with Ranma fifteen feet away from the kendoist.  With that distance between them, he glanced down at the cut on his arm.  The pigtailed boy exhaled a quick breath of relief on realizing the wound was surprisingly shallow, then returned all his attention to the fight before him.

                "So much for the so-called honor of the House of Kuno."  Ranma's face and voice showed no trace now of his earlier pity.  "You make me sick."

                "'Twas merely a symbolic gesture, that I thought fitting," Kuno growled back.  "As you attempt to hide your treacherous ways and black soul, so did I decide that the blade to end your miserable life should be hidden beneath a less alarming guise."

                "Just call it like it is, Kuno.  A cheap trick for a guy who doesn't care what it takes to beat me."  Ranma matched Tatewaki glare for glare, and brought his hands up.  "And I ain't in the mood to humor you anymore.  MOKO TAKABISHA!"

                The ball of chi shot forward.  Kuno didn't even try to dodge.  Anything that even remotely resembled retreat was unthinkable at this point.  He braced himself to meet the attack, to shrug off the vile sorcerer's spell with the stoic grace of a true samurai.

                However, this was AFTER he threw the katana straight toward Ranma's chest... by accident or design at the perfect instant when the glare of Ranma's own forming attack prevented him from seeing this.

                The ball of chi sped away from Ranma.  Not until it had covered three quarters of the distance to its target could Ranma make out the fact that there was something else gleaming in the air.

                Once again, all that the students saw was a blur, resolving into one very unhappy pigtailed martial artist with his arms stretched out before him, palms clasped flat against a blade whose tip rested an inch from breaking his skin.  Meanwhile, Tatewaki crashed unconscious to the ground, his body failing him at last, his fury unable to shrug off the chi blast.

                Ranma sent a long, cold glare toward the kendoist, then turned his gaze to the sword.  It was of high-quality but plain workmanship, obviously not the Kuno honor blade or anything like that.

                Perhaps it wouldn't have made any difference if it had been.  He was breathing heavily, his face flushed red.  This time, Kuno had gone too far, and Ranma was ANGRY.

                He braced the katana against the ground, then snapped the blade with a grunt.  Ranma cast the pieces away and stood for a long moment, calming down, before half-turning and looking at Furinkan over one shoulder.  The late bell had already rung, he knew, and if he headed into class now Miss Hinako would probably drain first and ask questions later.

                He regarded the school for only a few seconds before turning and walking away.

***************

                "There you are."

                Ranma blinked and halted his kata, not having expected to hear that voice anytime soon.  He turned around to face the porch.  Sure enough, Nabiki was standing there watching him.  "Shouldn't you still be in school, Nabiki?"

                For the moment, Nabiki chose to ignore the question.  "Honestly, Saotome, _more_ martial arts?  Didn't you get enough of a workout three hours ago?"

                "If you were watching then, you saw a real good example of why I can't afford to slack off practice," Ranma replied.  "Besides, didn't you see how slow and smooth that kata I was doing just now was?  That's an exercise to build control and promote harmony.  Fightin' Kuno was all about speed and power."

                Nabiki yawned, subtly indicating just how interested she was in hearing a martial arts lecture.

                "Of course, that just goes to show how important those things really are," Ranma continued.  "I actually did practice some for that a little while ago.  The kata just now was also to help cool down from that."

                "Saotome, if you didn't already owe me more money than you'll make in your entire life, I'd charge you for wasting my time with these boring details," the middle Tendo said dryly.  Didn't it just figure that the only thing to really move Ranma to eloquence would be martial arts.  Nabiki pulled out a piece of paper and started toward Ranma, stepping down from the porch.  "Anyway--AAAHHHH!!"  Her descending foot had come down squarely on a golf ball.

                Before Nabiki could shift more than ten degrees away from the vertical, Ranma crossed the distance and slipped his arm behind her, steadying her.  "Like I was gonna say," he grumbled, "most of them went in the koi pond, but there's still a couple of golf balls lyin' around from the speed training.  Be careful where you step."

                "All right, I'll bite," Nabiki said grumpily.  "How exactly do you use golf balls in martial arts speed training?"

                "Pop stood in one corner of the yard, and got your dad in another, and they both threw the balls toward me.  I had to punch Pop's out of the air, and kick Mr. Tendo's."

                "Well, that explains the round mark on your forehead."  Nabiki had been wondering where that bruise had come from.  "Nice to see even the great Ranma Saotome can miss sometimes."

                The pigtailed martial artist shrugged.  "Missing in training's no big deal."  His tone darkened as he said,  "It's the fights with lunatics carrying live blades where you can't afford something like that.

                "By the way..." he hesitated, thinking that he might be about to ask a stupid question, but eventually continued, "are you sure Kodachi's really in an asylum?"

                Nabiki blinked.  "Why do you ask?"

                "Didn'tcha hear the stuff Kuno was saying to me before the fight?"

                "No, I don't think anyone did.  If you recall, the two of you were standing near the entrance to the courtyard.  The window in our classroom was open, but I couldn't make out what either of you were saying."

                "Oh."  Ranma related a condensed version of Tatewaki's accusations.  "He really did seem convinced that Kodachi wasn't in a mental hospital or nothin', Nabiki.  Said he'd looked into that and it wasn't true.  I was just wondering if you knew exactly where she was supposed to be."

                "No, I never heard anything that specific.  But really, Ranma, I can't believe you're taking this seriously.  A looonnnng time ago, Kuno-baby's ego grew too big for him to ever admit to having any flaws of his own."  Nabiki shrugged.  "Now it must have swelled too much for him to allow for the same thing in close family."

                "Guess you're right," Ranma said, remembering that in the past, the kendoist had at least been lucid enough to realize that it was Kodachi chasing him of her own free will.  But this morning Kuno had also accused him of using magic to snare Kodachi.  Tatewaki must just not be willing to face any unpleasant truths anymore, whether they were his own flaws or the truth behind his sister's disappearance.

                "Of course I am.  Now, if we could get back to important things..."  Nabiki handed him the aforementioned piece of paper.  "Sign here."

                "What is it?" he asked, taking the document but eyeing it warily, as if some sub-clause might involve the disposition of his first-born child.

                "Honestly, Saotome, I thought even you knew how to read," Nabiki said, rolling her eyes.  "It's a statement about the fight, acknowledging that Kuno attacked an unarmed opponent, specifically you, wielding a katana with apparent intent to kill.  It also states that Tatewaki didn't seem rational or in his right mind at the time."

                "How'd you know that?" Ranma asked.  "Yeah, you're right, you already heard it from me just now how he was rantin' and raving.  But how'd you know earlier?"

                "Are you kidding?  I might not have been able to hear what you two were saying, but I could see his face just fine."  Nabiki shook her head.  "Not a pretty sight, as I'm sure you noticed too.  Now... your signature, please?"

                Ranma wasn't ready to comply just yet.  "What's this about, anyway?"

                Nabiki didn't answer at first, just stared silently at him.  Then she sighed, and her flippant mask seemed to crumble.  "It's obvious Kuno needs help.  Right?"

                "Right."

                "Well, if he goes in front of a judge on an attempted murder charge, and assuming nobody buys his way free, what he'll probably _get is jail.  And what he __needs is psychiatric care.  That's what I'm going to be working toward, Saotome."  Nabiki's gaze sharpened, until it seemed to Ranma as if it might rival the edge of Kuno's late unlamented blade.  "This statement is hopefully all I'll need from you.  Like I already said, it plays up the 'mental stability or lack thereof' issue rather than the attempted murder.  That's the important thing here.  I hope you agree."_

                For the life of him, Ranma couldn't think why Nabiki had said that last sentence threateningly.  "Well, duh, Nabiki.  Of course the reason he tried to kill me was he was crazy.  Why wouldn't I agree with that?"  He frowned.  "You don't really think I'm that stupid, do you?"

                "No, Saotome, all kidding aside, of course I don't.  But there's something that might not have occurred to you yet, and I wanted you to think about how important this was."  Nabiki paused for emphasis, then said, "For someone who really didn't like Tatewaki, this would be a great chance for some revenge.  Emphasize the attempted murder, play down the irrational behavior, try and get Kuno sent to jail instead of to the help he needs.  Heck, with his attitude and without a bokken to defend himself with, he might even end up getting his neck broken by a pissed-off cellmate.

                "That's a worst-case scenario, obviously."  Nabiki's gaze sharpened again.  "One I intend to avoid.  I know _you are too honorable to do something like that," '_plus there's no way in hell you'd have thought of it by yourself_', "but there are plenty of people at Furinkan who've got grudges against Kuno.  Some of them might even be smart enough to work this out._

                "But not with your evidence.  You were there, you saw everything better than anyone else.  So that's why I want your signature, Ranma.  Plus it will hopefully keep you from having to testify personally.  And you'd rather not waste your time like that, right?"

                "Right," he agreed.  He gave the paper a quick once-over, satisfying himself that there really wasn't anything on this that put him any further in debt to Nabiki, then signed it.  Nabiki smiled, wearily rather than triumphantly, and reached for the paper.

                However, Ranma still had a question or two.  "I _would rather not waste any time on this.  What about you?  Why're you going to this much trouble?  I can't imagine there's gonna be any yen in it for you.  In fact," he frowned, "if you're serious about not lettin' Kuno get off scot-free, you're shooting yourself in the foot.  You're gonna be losing your biggest source of income."_

                "That's it, Saotome, rub it in," Nabiki snarled.  "So what SHOULD I do?  Nothing?  And what if that winds up with Kuno killing someone?!  I might not lose any sleep over YOU, but since he's apparently finally gone off the deep end, it could be some totally innocent person."

                "Okay, okay, I can see that much.  But why go to the trouble of keepin' him out of jail?  Don't want to risk him getting out still messed up?"

                Nabiki shook her head, not looking at him now.  "I don't particularly want to talk about this, Ranma.  I'll stretch a point though, seeing as how earlier today you caught a sword an inch from spilling your guts on the ground.

                "You do know that most of the money I make goes right back into this household, right?  There's a reason I don't have a new stereo, why my computer is surplus from Furinkan, why most of the clothes in my closet are borrowed from Akane.  Without me, we'd never have been able to keep our home.

                "I've gotten good enough nowadays not to need to leech off the Kuno coffers.  But there've been times in the past when there would have been nothing on the table without me milking Tatewaki for all he was worth.  I did it.  I don't feel guilty about it.  I'd do it again in a heartbeat.  But here and now I guess I owe him this much, Ranma."  Nabiki sighed, still looking down.  Then she turned back to face him, gaze fiercer than ever.  "Don't you ever breathe a word of this either.  Not to anyone else, and definitely not to me.  I don't think I'm going to want to be reminded of it."

                "Don't worry, Nabiki."  Ranma grinned and slapped her on the back.  "Just sell me out to Shampoo or Kaori or somebody when you get the chance, an' I'll forget all about any good deeds you might've done."

                Nabiki grabbed his hand and shook it.  "It's a deal."

***************

                "There you are."

                Ranma blinked and looked up from his slice of watermelon.  "Hey, Akane.  Back already?"  Only an hour had passed since his talk with Nabiki; the school day wasn't yet two-thirds over.  If Akane was going to cut out early to check up on him, Ranma would have expected her to do it long before this.

                He frowned slightly as he got a good look at her.  It wasn't a sight he had expected to see--his fiancée was pale and drawn, her eyes resembling Gosunkugi's sunken stare, her hair hanging limp and lifeless.  She was holding onto the doorframe to steady herself.  "Are you okay?!"

                "I thought I was supposed to ask you that," she said tiredly.  The youngest Tendo walked over and collapsed next to him at the table, then took a long glance at his left arm.  The bandage didn't seem elaborate enough to be covering any serious wound.  "I went by Dr. Tofu's clinic, but he said you hadn't stopped by.  Is your arm all right?"

                "Yeah, I'm fine, this was nothing to bother the doc about.  I've been hurt plenty worse than this in training.  Just got Kasumi to slap a bandage on it--it prob'ly won't even leave a scar."  Waving aside the trivial matter of his own injury, Ranma returned to what he considered more important.  "What happened to you?!"

                "Miss Hinako.  She drained me when I tried to leave and go check on you."  

                Ranma snorted.  "She doesn't like you skipping out of class for a little bit, so she hits you with an attack that'll keep you flat on your back in the nurse's office for three hours.  Real good policy."

                A faint spark kindled momentarily in Akane's eyes, and she managed to say the next sentence with a hint of her usual vehemence.  "It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't sent me in when Kuno told me to go.  Guess that's what I get for listening to the likes of you AND him."

                "Hey!"  Ranma didn't much care for being lumped together with Tatewaki like that.  "I didn't make ya actually go all the way to your classroom.  You coulda just stood in the hall or something, and that way you'd've been out of the way when Kuno went nuts, and you still could've seen what was going on.  You might've had a better view, too.  Probably wouldn't have worried about me at all if you could've gotten a good look at this measly little papercut."

                "Ranma..." Akane groaned.  "He tried to kill you!  He came at you with a real katana!  He actually did cut you!  Doesn't it matter to you at all?  Don't you even care?!"

                He shrugged.  "It's no big deal, Akane.  Heck, I'd take this morning over him grabbin' at my girl form any day of the week."

                For a moment, the fire flickered back into Akane's eyes, more strongly than before.  She wanted to yell at him!  She wanted to demand that he take this seriously, that he should notice just how worried she had been and acknowledge that she'd had reason to be!  Watching him blur through Tatewaki's offensive, through a barrage of strikes that were all intended to kill, had left her stomach churning and her breath catching in her chest.  She'd really been worried, Akane wanted to shout.  What right did he have to just shrug this off?!  What right did he have to survive something like that, to pass such a test of his martial arts skills, and treat it like it was nothing?!  She'd seen him dodge through an offensive that Akane knew would have broken her.  What right did he have not to realize how worried for him she had been?!

                She wanted to yell all this, and maybe more, maybe even hit him for just blowing this off.  But she was nowhere near fully recovered from the earlier chi drain, and weariness swallowed the fire before it could really take hold.  "Fine, Ranma," she said with a sigh.  "I'm just glad you're okay."

                "Yeah, me too."  Ranma returned his attention to his watermelon, just long enough to finish the last couple of bites, then said,  "Want me to go ask Kasumi for a slice for you?"

                Akane shook her head.  "No.  I think I'll just go to my room and rest some more."

                "You'd get better faster if you had something to eat," Ranma pointed out.  When she shook her head again, he sighed.  "Okay.  But before you go, I did want to say thanks."

                "For what?"

                "Well... I mean, it was pretty obvious you didn't want to go in an' leave Kuno to me like that.  But you did it anyway.  Thanks for not sticking around an' getting caught up in the fight, that's all.  It wasn't really any big deal the way it turned out, but if Kuno had hurt you or something, I... well, you know... that'd be a whole lot worse than what did happen."

                "Honestly, Ranma.  He wouldn't have attacked ME."

                Ranma frowned.  "Maybe not on purpose.  But if you'd gotten in his way, it would've happened just the same.  He went berserk there, Akane, wasn't caring about anything except taking me down.  You saw how, at the end, he threw his sword at me.  You ever know Kuno to let go of a weapon like that?"

                "Okay, maybe you've got a point."  Akane was feeling better now.  At least Ranma had realized that he'd asked her to do something hard, and had thanked her for it.  "But you would've protected me, right?"

                Ranma's face settled into the most serious expression he'd worn yet today.  "I'd've done the best I could, Akane.  That's what I always do."  He reached over with his right hand, gently rubbing his curled fingers against the bandage on his left arm, and cast his mind more than a year into the past, to the moment when Ryoga's belt-blade had given her the haircut she still wore.  "And it's pretty darn good.  But I'd really hate for it to be not quite good enough."

***************

                The night sky was thick with clouds, soft puffs above and beside and below him.  Only the occasional fragmentary gap allowed vision of the deeper sky behind.  There was no moon, and barely a double handful of stars could be seen through the occasional breaks in the clouds.  Yet it seemed that either there was light enough, starlight filtering through the canopy perhaps, or an unusual sort of darkness that didn't really obscure everything.

                Such curious things may be found in dreams, after all.

                Ranma recognized this, in the dim awareness that one sometimes gets in such circumstances, even managed to vaguely remember having such a dream before.  He felt again the sense of carefree comfort, the freedom of being here, now, away from the usual strife and petty problems of the world below.  Just the one instant to remember all this, to experience the muted gleam of recognition and turn to anticipation, and then Ranma relaxed, deliberately relinquishing thought to exist just in the moment.

                After an uncertain length of time, though, he became aware that something was... off.  There was some triflingly discordant note, like the faintest of itches at the back of his mind.  Easy enough to ignore at first; Ranma did so for quite awhile longer.  But inevitably, that one irritation began to grow, pushing forward through the sleepy haze of his contentment.  Ranma made a wordless noise of protest, resenting this intrusion on the joy of the moment, and reached out to push whatever it was back to the depths of unconsciousness.

                His mental grasp touched... sorrow... pain... _fear..._

                Up until now the sky had been calm, and though Ranma's pigtail had streamed and fluttered behind him and his shirt had rippled and snapped, this was an artificial wind caused by the disturbance of his flight.  The night air around him had been still and warm.  In an instant, however, the wind rose with a howl.  A cold gust swirled around him, battering him, lifting him, and Ranma felt his speed increase dramatically.  His thoughts seemed to speed up a bit as well, shedding a little of their previous somnolent sluggishness.

                ~_Things change.  Sometimes we can't control it.~_

                The clouds around him shredded, like cotton candy in a sudden stream of water.  In the formless way that knowledge does arrive in dreams, Ranma sensed that there was some meaning to this, that this had been the goal, the reason for the wind's sudden fury.

                However, that knowledge didn't receive more than the barest fraction of his dreaming attention.  All that remained was caught up in a sudden rush of joy, a sense of freedom much greater than before.  He rode the wild wind, casting his eyes up to the now-uncovered stars and laughing out loud in delight.  They glittered faintly, like tiny flecks of diamond set against a backdrop of deep, rich, unimaginably glorious darkness.

                The pain and fear he'd touched before were still with him, closer than ever now.  But somehow, they melted into the rush of freedom as he blazed through the darkened sky; Ranma was conscious of them, but didn't really feel them anymore.

                ~_Where did they come from, Ranma?  For what did you grieve?~_

                "Tatewaki," he whispered, pulling a small fraction of his consciousness back from the joy of flight.  "Seein' him break like that... I don't like the guy, but I'd never have wanted that for him."

                ~_Why did you hurt?~_

                "Because he attacked me, because he hates me, and I don't deserve to be hated."

                ~_What caused you fear?~_

                In the daylight, in wakefulness, Ranma would probably not even have gotten past the first two questions.  Certainly he would have pulled away, denied the third.  But here, in the darkness and in the dream, those barriers were forgotten.  "He tried his best to kill me," Ranma answered, "and he nearly did hurt me bad."

                As he spoke, the knot of remembered pain and fear loosened.  He took a deep breath of the cold, bracing air, letting the dark emotions drain away as he flew through the night.

***************

                It was another two days before Kaori returned to Furinkan.

                Even then, she didn't show up for class.  The final bell of the day had rung; the rooms were mostly empty and the hallways not far from it.  Ranma and Akane had nearly crossed the courtyard when Kaori appeared through the gate before them.  The three teens stopped, Ranma and Kaori eyeing one another with varying degrees of surprise and trepidation, Akane not actually scowling as she stared at the Martial Arts Takeout girl, but neither really hiding her reaction of distaste.

                Kaori recovered most quickly.  She gave her fiancé a quick bow.  "Ranma, I'm very sorry about not showing up for our last study meeting.  I need to talk to you about that... do you have some time free this afternoon?"

                "Yeah, Kaori, actually I needed to talk to you too," Ranma replied, attempting to nerve himself to the ordeal.  With her absence this morning, he had assumed he didn't have to think about this problem for another day.  Ranma didn't quite pay enough attention to his own words to realize it, but the sudden dashing of those hopes lent an extremely unenthusiastic tone to his response.

                Neither Kaori nor Akane missed that note, however.  The youngest Tendo gave her antagonist a quick, hard smile, then turned and said, "Okay, Ranma, I'll see you later on, at home.  Don't take too long, all right?"  She walked away, feeling satisfaction mixed with hope.  It was about time someone threw Kaori's own behavior in her face, and maybe it would make the girl give up and go away.  At the very least it should keep her from causing so much trouble.  Akane didn't want Ranma coming home too stressed and bruised and weary to explain important things to her.

                Kaori had been meaning to ask Ranma to meet with her later, and then proceed into the school to meet with her teachers about her missed homework.  Those plans died a quick death.  She knew what her priorities were, after all, and if the thought of spending time with her had suddenly become unappealing to Ranma, then the first item on the agenda was talking through the problem.  "I would invite you over to my place for this, Ranma, but it's just too far away.  Where do you want to go?"

                Ranma shrugged.  "I dunno.  Chuushinteki Park's pretty close.  You wanna head there?"

                She hesitated, remembering the park's location and estimating how long a walk would be required to reach it, then nodded her assent.

***************

                Under other circumstances, Ranma might have wondered just why Kaori was walking so slowly.  However, since here and now it gave him more time to think about what he was going to say, his only reaction was a sort of vague thankfulness.

                On reaching the park, they sat down on a bench near an ornamental fountain.  "Do you mind if I go first?" Kaori asked.  On the one hand, she was a bit nervous as to what Ranma planned to say, and didn't really enjoy stretching the anticipation of same any further.  However, if he really was intending to say something she didn't want to hear, hopefully her explanation would change that.

                As if Ranma was going to refuse that request.  "Sure, go ahead."

                "Thanks."  Kaori sighed.  "Like I said, I'm really sorry about missing the study meeting.  I ran into somebody on the street.  Somebody I didn't expect to."

                Ranma glanced over at the fountain.  This would be an excellent moment for the wind to carry just enough of the spray over to him.

                However, this time it seemed as if the elements weren't conspiring against him.  Kaori continued speaking uninterrupted by any Jusenkyo surprises.  "A while ago, you told me you had seen more of the Takeout race than I thought.  Do you know how it ended?"

                "Yeah, I kinda saw."

                Kaori frowned, looking down at the ground.  "Then you realize I would have won, except some girl--I guess it must have been one of Akane's friends--got involved.  She blindsided me when I had Akane on the ropes," she snorted, and said the next sentence rather bitterly, "and nearly killed her own friend too.  Then when I was in the home stretch, she--"

                "Whoah whoah whoah!! TIME OUT!!"  It had taken a few seconds for that previous clause to register, but when it did, there was no way Ranma was going to hold back from interrupting.  "Whaddaya mean about nearly killin' Akane?!"

                "You saw what happened, right?"  Kaori turned and stared Ranma unabashedly in the eye as she said the next sentence.  "I had a Ramen Round-up Noodle Noose around her throat, and I was choking her.  Remember?"

                "Yeah," Ranma growled in a warning tone.

                "I know it's asking a lot, to remember something that happened so long ago, but please try.  Think back to after the race was over.  Can you remember?"  Kaori's eyes held no hint of a willingness to back down.  "Did she have any bruises on her throat at all?"

                Ranma's ire dissolved into confusion as he thought back, not to what had happened about a year ago, but rather to a battle that had taken place only the previous week.  "N- no.  I didn't...  didn't see any, I mean."

                "It takes a great deal of skill to pull off that attack without actually harming your opponent.  Not to mention concentration.  THAT'S what I'm talking about.  When that redheaded wench hit me and disrupted my attack, she could easily have wound up crushing her friend's windpipe.  Or even breaking her neck."

                "Damn," Ranma muttered, looking down and fighting off a shudder.

                "Right, well, I'm sure you can understand that I'm not too happy about having a near miss with first-degree murder.  And of course let's not forget how she held me down and let Akane hit the finish line an inch ahead of me.  Maybe there weren't any rules to the race, but common decency should say that each competitor runs on her own skill.  That she doesn't have friends help her to a victory she isn't good enough to win on her own."

                "Sounds like you really don't like that girl," Ranma said, his tone suddenly a bit lighter.  It had never happened before, but maybe when he revealed his curse it would get this fiancée off his back for good.  "Can't say I blame ya."

                Kaori grimaced.  "And it doesn't help that she kicked my butt last Tuesday, either."

                '_Nah, it was a closer fight than that,' Ranma thought generously._

                After waiting a moment to see if he would say anything in response to her revelation, Kaori continued.  "That's why I never showed up.  I ran into her when I was hurrying back to my apartment, and I couldn't help myself--I fought her.  What can I say, I wanted some payback."  She grimaced bitterly.  "What I got was some pavement.

                "And you know what's really scary?  She knocked me out, and several hours later I woke up on the couch in my apartment.  The front door was locked.  All the keys to it were still there.  And nobody was home but me."  Kaori brooded darkly for a bit.  "I don't know what happened, but as soon as I see that girl again I'm going to find out."

                She sighed suddenly, then qualified that last sentence.  "But I hope I don't run into her for at least another couple of days.  I'm in no shape for a rematch."

                "Huh?"  Belatedly, Ranma noticed how gingerly Kaori was seated on the bench, and remembered the slow pace she'd set to this park.  Come to think of it, when she'd walked through the gate at Furinkan, there had been a taxi pulling away in the street outside the school.  "You hurt or something, Kaori?"

                "Well, not so much now.  But last week..." the brunette winced at the memory.  "I'm sure you saw Shampoo's little love tap when I suggested the one to take you to a doctor should be me.  Instead of the girl who'd ground you into the dirt."

                "Yeah, I remember.  But it couldn't'a been _that bad," Ranma protested.  "I mean, if she'd hit you really hard you would've gone flying or something."_

                Just for a moment, Kaori gave him a sad look.  "Is that really the kind of abuse you're used to, Ranma?" she asked quietly.  Without waiting for a response, she said, "I'm not that durable.  But that injury by itself would've just kept me out of school for one day.  Which it did; I was gone on Thursday, like I guess you were too."

                "Um, no, I was there."

                Kaori stared blankly at him for several moments, before giving herself a little shake and resuming speaking.  "Anyway, that night I received a challenge and had a match with one of your other fiancées.  That unattractive Hayashibara girl."

                "Oh."  Now Ranma could understand why she might have had to spend a few extra days out of commission.  "She give you a hard battle?"

                "Yes and no.  I made a stupid mistake early on, and let her close to me.  If you saw the Martial Arts Takeout Race, you know I'm good at hand-to-hand."  The brunette grimaced.  "She's better.  She surprised me, pulled out a pair of tonfa and beat me black and blue.  It still hurts if I take a deep breath.

                "But I was able to get in a kick that threw her backward.  Once I had some good distance between us, I tangled her up with the Noodle Noose, disabled her with thrown chopsticks, then moved in and gave her a taste of her own medicine."  It had taken nearly the last of her strength, too.  Kaori sighed.  "My own stupid fault for closing with her in the first place.

                "Anyway, that's why I haven't been around sooner.  I wanted to tell you why it looked like I skipped out on our study date.  I didn't mean to, and I'm sorry."

                "Not as sorry as you're gonna be," Ranma muttered under his breath.  He got to his feet and walked on over to the fountain.  "Okay, now it's my turn to tell you what I got ta say."

                Kaori braced herself.  Why had he suddenly, deliberately put that distance between them?  "G- go on."

                Ranma was a little proud of the strategy he'd managed to form on the walk over here.  "Kaori... if someone's got something really, REALLY weird to tell you, do you want them to try to ease into it, or just lay it on ya all at once?"  This time at least he wouldn't have to guess at the best way to reveal things!

                The Martial Arts Takeout girl blinked.  Not 'bad', 'weird'?  "Um... I suppose just tell me straight out."

                "Gotcha."  Ranma plunged his arm into the water.  "You ever hear about Jusenkyo?"

***************

                After splashing water on Kaori as well, in order to rouse her from her faint, giving the detailed explanation, telling her how she had been returned to her apartment after the fight, and fetching hot water from a nearby vendor to reveal the flipside of the transformation, Ranma fell silent.  He stood there feeling a little frustrated at Kaori... why the heck did she tell him to just come out with the whole shock all at once if she was gonna faint after it?!

                He was also more than a bit uncomfortable.  Kaori hadn't said anything for a good five minutes now.  The brunette was just sitting on the bench staring up at him, with such a mixture of emotions in her gaze that Ranma couldn't really identify any one of them.  The intensity was plain to see, however.

                Eventually, Kaori's frozen façade cracked.  "I don't know how to handle this, Ranma."

                The Saotome heir didn't really know how to respond to that.  In any case, Kaori didn't pause long before speaking again.  "Losing that race and leaving you here was bad enough.  But... _this_?!  It was my own fiancé who stabbed me in the back!"

                "What the heck was I supposed to do?!" Ranma demanded.  "Nothin'?!  It looked like you were killin' Akane!"

                "In broad daylight?!  In front of a hundred witnesses?!"  Kaori rose to her feet, the better to look him in the eye.

                "Well, maybe I didn't stop an' take my time so I could think about that!!" Ranma yelled.

                "I'll say you didn't!!" his companion shouted right back.

                A tense silence fell.  Both teens' faces were flushed, their breathing coming heavily.  However, the pain this caused Kaori quickly distracted her, and her temper sank back down almost as rapidly as it had risen.

                She returned to her seat on the bench, and when next she spoke, it was in a morose tone not far from a whisper.  "Ranma... am I just wasting my time?"

                He didn't have the slightest idea how to answer that one.  After a minute of silence had stretched between them, Kaori reclaimed the floor.  "I'm trying to help you.  Are you even going to let me?"  A harsh note of pain crept into her voice.  "You should have told me this from the very beginning.  And I _mean_ the very beginning--all the way back a year ago, when I first showed up."

                "You didn't exactly make yourself real approachable then," Ranma protested, glad at least to find one point he could argue.

                Kaori hung her head and sighed.  "I guess not.  But you definitely should have told me this time around.

                "This hurts, Ranma.  I'm trying to be your friend, and you keep something like this from me?  I'm trying to offer you something better than..." she waved a hand, indicating all of Nerima in one vague gesture, "_this, and you're just blowing me off!  Damn it, do you WANT to stick around here until that psychopathic girl caves your head in?!"_

                "All right, that's it!  Listen, Kaori, I wanna know just why you've got it in so bad for Akane.  You ain't even BEEN around to see ANYTHING of what's happened with me!"

                "No.  I haven't," Kaori allowed.  "But my friend's cousin recently transferred out of Furinkan.  And Noriko passed some stories she heard from her on to me.  Stories about how one Akane Tendo treated her fiancé, who Noriko realized one day had a name she'd heard before.  As the fiancé I had left behind.

                "So after that, I did some poking around, confirmed a few things... and I knew I had to come back."

                Ranma just shook his head sadly.  This sounded an awful lot like something he'd heard from Nabiki once.  "Kaori... Akane's a real popular girl at school.  And because of that, there's some girls who're real jealous of her.  They don't show it to her face, cause she's a martial artist and they don't want to get ground into the dirt or nothin'.  But I bet they wouldn't have any problems spreadin' bad rumors around behind her back."

                Kaori stared at him as if he had lobsters crawling out of his ears.  At last, she said faintly, "That's supposed to make me think better of her?  Did you even _listen_ to what you just said?!"

                "Huh?"  He'd _said_ it, of course he knew what he'd said.  Why would Kaori have asked a question like that?

                At Ranma's obvious confusion, his fiancée closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.  Eventually, when she felt ready, she said, "Ranma... I'm going to ask you two questions.  I want you to answer them as honestly as you can."

                "Um... what's this about?" he asked warily, scenting danger on the breeze.

                "You'll understand sooner or later," Kaori said evenly, though there was a hint of sadness in her tone.  "Question number one.  Is it true that Akane once gave you a head injury that caused temporary amnesia?"

                "Well, it was kinda--"

                "YES OR NO?!" Kaori demanded.

                Ranma clenched his teeth, unhappy in the first place to be reminded of his brief declaration of womanhood.  He'd have been happier if those memories had never eventually surfaced in his mind, he'd prefer to forget them again if at all possible, and he really didn't like being pushed this hard concerning the matter.  "Yes," he gritted out.

                "Question number two."  The note of sadness had been joined by trepidation.  She was going out on a limb here; if her guess was wrong, she might lose quite a bit of ground in this battle.  "When was the last time she knocked you unconscious?"

                Ranma stared, his jaw dropping.  "What the heck kinda question is that?!"

                "If it's been so long ago that you can't remember, just tell me so."

                "That ain't what I meant!" Ranma bristled.  "Look, this's none of your business!"

                "Isn't it?"  His lack of answer had been answer enough.  Kaori was certain beyond a shadow of a doubt now--he needed the help she was trying to give him.  This time, she wasn't about to bow out.  She got up and took a few steps away, then stopped.

                Over her shoulder she called back, "I'll see you in class tomorrow, Ranma.  Until then... please think about what I've said."

***************

                The afternoon sun was sinking low, the fiery disk seeming to rest only twice its diameter above the outer wall of the Tendo compound, when Ranma returned.  On hearing his call of "I'm home!", Akane left the living room and met him in the hallway.

                "That sure took a long time."  She did her best to keep her tone free from accusation, and mainly succeeded.  "What did you and Kaori have to say that took two hours?"

                "Huh?  Oh, nothin' much, Akane.  I didn't spend all this time talking to her.  Went for a walk afterward.  That's what took so long."

                "Oh.  I see."  Akane held back a glare.  "You know, there was a REASON I asked you not to take too long talking to Kaori."

                "Yeah, I know that," Ranma said.  "You wanted to tick her off."  If there was one aspect of communication that he was good at, it was insults, and from Akane's tone and Kaori's involuntary grimace he had recognized that one quite clearly.

                "Besides that!" Akane snapped.  "I want to hear what she said!  Is she going to give up and go away now, and stop causing trouble?"

                "Nah.  I mean, she's not givin' up or going away.  But she won't be attacking my girl side any more.  That's one bright spot, at least."

                "FOOLISH BOY!!"  No need to ask who that was.  As soon as Ranma had come in, Genma had turned his attention from his current game of shogi, pricking up his ears to follow the subsequent conversation.  He'd ignored the glimpses of motion from his peripheral vision as Soun quickly rearranged the contents of the board.  And when he heard Ranma's response to the last question, he knew it was about time to give his son a refresher course in the fine points of duty, honor, and responsibility.

                Genma hurried over and joined the two teens.  "Come here, Ranma, I need to talk to you."  Pausing only to grab a firm hold on his son's ear, he turned and strode toward the dojo, ignoring Ranma's various cries of "OW!  HEY!  YAAHH!  LEGGO, YOU OLD FOOL!  THAT HURTS!  CUT IT OUT!!"

                When they were inside the building, Genma released his hold, took several steps away, and assumed a pose of dignified authority:  back ramrod straight, arms behind him, expression of stern righteousness, head tilted at just the right angle to cause the light to gleam off his glasses.  "Ranma, listen to me.  Don't you see what you're doing here?  AKANE is your rightful fiancée.  You hurt her when you run around, spending time with all these interloper girls.  It's time for you to grow up, and settle down, and take your responsibilities seriously!"

                Genma paused, surprised and encouraged at Ranma's response to this.  The boy hadn't interrupted yet, hadn't even put on that stubborn frown he usually wore when his father tried to get through to him about ending this fiancée mess.  Instead, he seemed to be listening attentively.  Not wanting to waste a golden opportunity like this, Genma quit thinking and resumed speaking.  "I understand that it's tough sometimes to do what needs to be done, Ranma.  But death is lighter than a feather, and duty is heavier than a mountain.  It's your duty to wed Akane and uphold the Anything Goes school.

                "Putting it off only makes things worse!  You and Akane should have been married by now.  That way, none of these girls would still be here, running around, interfering, making things go wrong between the two of you.  Everything would be perfect by now if you would just go ahead and settle things!"

                Another pause to study Ranma's reaction.  The younger Saotome still wasn't frowning, still seemed to be listening thoughtfully, which was a better response than Genma had thought possible.  Thus encouraged, he said, "We can have a priest here as early as tomorrow afternoon, boy.  Once you stop the old stubborn foolishness and go along with it, then between you, me, and Tendo, Akane won't be able to fight the matter either.  And anyway I'm sure she'd be overjoyed to hear you were finally ready to tell everyone just who you really loved.  So what do you say?"

                "Huh?"  Ranma blinked with an exaggerated expression of surprise.  "You say something, Pop?  Sorry, I couldn't hear ya.  Some fat old fool nearly tore my ear off a few minutes ago and I'm just now getting feeling back in it."

                "RAANNNMMMAAA!"  Genma shifted from a pose of stern authority to outraged indignity.  "Show some respect for your father!"

                "That'd be a good trick!  Show something I don't have?!"  Ranma snorted.  "Guess I'll have to borrow some from... uh... well... hey, Pop, just who _does_ have enough respect for you that they could lend me some?"

                There were times that Genma really wished Ranma wasn't so much better than him at insults.  He had to settle for a trite "YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS OUTSIDE, BOY?!"

***************

                They stood at opposite ends of the koi pond, glaring at one another.  In the background, Nabiki nibbled idly on a snack cracker and watched the scene.  She had her camera ready--hopefully Ranma would pull off some particularly spectacular moves.  Any of those caught on film would sell well to Shampoo.  And it was about time she began sounding out Kaori and Kaede as well on such matters.

                 Genma broke the silence, leaping high into the air with a growl.  "It's high time you took your responsibilities seriously, boy!" he snapped as he started his descent, his foot outstretched in a flying kick.

                "And what responsibilities are those?!" Ranma retorted, jumping toward his father.  He whipped his own leg around, and Genma found himself unable to respond quickly enough to his son's new speed; Ranma locked his ankle around Genma's and used the leverage to pivot himself around, launching a punch toward Genma's back.

                The older Saotome curled as tightly as he could, and his son's blow glanced off.  Meanwhile, Genma's elbow found purchase in Ranma's side, a quick strike meant more to put some distance between them than to actually cause damage.  "To clear up all this trouble!"  The dueling duo exchanged a quick series of punches that pushed them farther apart.  "All these girls have no business interfering in your engagement to Akane."  They landed again, each where the other had started out.  "But it's going to keep happening as long as YOU keep wimping out and dodging the issue!"

                "Dodge THIS!" Ranma shouted, crouching and whipping his leg at near-supersonic speed above the pond.  The wind from his kick raised a large wave and sent it crashing toward Genma, who barely did manage to dodge.  The elder martial artist dived and rolled, clearing the edge of the spray by mere inches.  "How the heck is this MY responsibility, Pop?!"  Ranma darted toward him, lashing out with a kick as Genma got back to his knees.  His father caught it on crossed forearms.  "In case ya forgot, YOU were the one who ARRANGED all these fiancées!"

                "That's in the past," Genma snapped, heaving and flipping Ranma backward.  The maneuver bought him time enough to get to his feet.  "What kind of a martial artist spends all his time looking backward over his shoulder?!"  As if to emphasize his point, he closed and grappled with Ranma, trying for a shoulder throw.  "It's YOU the girls are all chasing after, boy.  That makes YOU the one who has to deal with it!"

                "You sure got THAT right!"  Ranma dropped to one knee and rotated his torso, which threw Genma just enough off-balance that the younger Saotome was able to perform a modified shoulder throw of his own.  "I'm the one who ALWAYS has to deal with crap from stuff you've pulled!"  Genma struck the ground, landing on his back with a *whuff*.  "So don't go tellin' me just what I've got to do."

                "I'm only trying to help you, boy!  You AND Akane!"  Genma charged again, but changed his angle at the last moment, sacrificing speed and power in order to launch an awkward attack that caught Ranma completely by surprise.  The punch jarred his lower ribs, but didn't have much more of an effect.  "The one you're going to marry is the only one you should be paying attention to!"

                "Give it a REST about the stupid marriage thing, already!"  Ranma spun back to face Genma and launched a straight punch.  Genma blocked and retaliated with one of his own.  "I ain't interested in marryin' NOBODY just yet!"  The tempo of the punches increased, each Saotome striving to force a hole in the other's defense while keeping his own intact.  "And I sure ain't gonna just blow everything off and let you tell me what to do!"

                "You're going to marry her sooner or later, boy.  Listen to me for once!"  Genma twisted, bringing his hands inside Ranma's guard.  He shot his arms to either side, forcing Ranma's arms wide open and knocking his son off-balance.  "Just go ahead and get it over with."  The older martial artist pivoted, dropping in a controlled fall that brought one leg up and around.  He grasped the side of Ranma's shirt with his toes and sent his son flying.  "Trust me... you'll feel a lot better afterward!" he called as his son splashed down into the koi pond.

                Nabiki permitted herself a slight wince of sympathy as she watched Genma stand up and begin to gloat over getting in the first decisive attack.  She wasn't a martial artist, but somehow, an attack that made your opponent really, really mad and didn't actually hamper their ability to fight didn't look to her like a particularly good strategy.  She fully expected that any second now, Genma's son-turned-daughter was going to blaze out of the pond and lay a world of hurt on him for this.

                Any second now...

                As the roiling waters quieted, with no sign of a redheaded avatar of wrath emerging from the depths, Genma began to feel just the slightest twinge of anxiety.  What if Ranma had hit his head as he went into the pond?  Perhaps he should walk over and check.  On the other hand, if (as was far likelier) this was a trick of the boy's, that would be playing right into his... er, her, hands.

                Genma settled for taking several steps _backward_, then leaping straight up.  At the height of his jump, he looked down into the pond.  It was a little difficult to tell, with the light of the sinking sun gleaming off the water, but he was nearly certain he caught a glimpse of Ranma-chan moving about purposefully under the water.

                Nor was he in error.  Even as Genma landed from his jump, the water blasted skyward in a pillar of froth and spray.  Ranma-chan had leaped with all her strength, blasting off the bottom of the pond and soaring nearly two stories into the air despite the weight of the water that had been above her.  Genma scrambled backward, out of range of the water, but missed the true threat.  At the height of her jump, Ranma-chan began to throw the golf balls she'd gathered from the bottom of the pond, sending a fusillade that caught Genma completely unaware.

                Nabiki giggled and snapped a few photos as the hapless man tried to shield himself from the attack.  He made much too large a target to do so effectively, of course.  The middle Tendo noted idly that after striking Genma, nearly all the golf balls bounced and rolled in such a way as to land right back in the water.

                One of the few exceptions was directly behind Genma, though, and as he staggered back his foot came down on it.  The ball, and his foot, shot out from under him; the former bounced off the fence and rolled into the pond, and the latter arced into the air while the rest of him came crashing down.

                Right about then was when Ranma-chan landed, touching down on the far side of the koi pond.  She repeated a move from earlier in the fight, kicking up a huge wall of water that tumbled straight toward Genma.  This time, though, she dove forward through it, catching Genma's heel, spinning, lifting him high overhead, then, as the water caught up and triggered his transformation, smashing him down flat on his suddenly-furry belly.

                Nabiki shook her head, then snapped a picture of the scene of triumph and tragedy.  The redhead baring her teeth in a grin of triumph contrasted nicely with the battered, waterlogged bear, she thought.  And the sign reading "ouch..." added just the right note of comic pathos.  Yes, this would be one for the scrapbook.

                "Heh.  I do feel better," Ranma-chan said.  The chance to let off some steam had done her more good than a thousand of her father's one-track lectures.  She walked over and gave the prostrate panda a hard slap on the back.  "Thanks for the talk, Pop.  Let's do this again some time."

***************

                Ranma dreamed again, that night.

                As before, his first sensation was the awareness of motion.  He soared through the night sky, his attention gradually sharpening, until he was once again aware enough to recognize the dream.  It was a little different from the last half of the previous interlude; the night was mild and quiet around him, with no roaring wind to buffet him and carry him along.  Yet somehow the heightened sense of freedom was still with him.  

                As he flew along, now gliding, now gaining furious altitude, now diving and breaking into a barrel-roll, he eventually became aware of another difference.  Around him, the air held a curiously smoky quality.  Instead of a mass of clouds or stars, the sky above him seemed featureless and empty, hanging flat like a smudged canvas of ochre and charcoal.

                Moved by some instinct, he glanced down.  From that perspective, the dim haze in the air was more apparent.  It hovered like a shield below him, screening him from what lay on the land beneath.  Through the dimness, Ranma saw light, distant, glowing, as if fires gleamed below him under a blanket of near-solid smoke.

                Whatever it was, it was quite far below him.  The sight roused faint, inexplicable emotions of distaste in Ranma, but stronger than these was curiosity.  He angled his flight lower, spiraling downward to determine the source of the phenomenon.  As he did so the shrouding darkness thickened, so that even as the fires grew nearer they seemed to cast less light.  Curiously, though, the effect of this was to allow Ranma to see more clearly, rather than less.

                ~_Do you really want to go down there?~  The words came as softly as ever, but were suffused with a hint of disapproval and disappointment._

                Ranma was already pulling back, gaining altitude again.  Like the instant when a random collection of dots, blotches, and lines suddenly coalesces into a coherent picture, the gleaming brightness and curves and angles below him had suddenly become recognizable as the Tokyo skyline, seen from the unusual perspective of directly above.  That which he had taken for fire had been the glow of electric lights.

                It had only been curiosity that sent him downward.  With that assuaged, Ranma climbed again, quickly.

                ~_I didn't think so.  It's not time yet.~_

                Now he understood the flat, dull nature of the sky above him.  The stars were still there, but light pollution from the city beneath hid them.  One corner of his mind noted vaguely that the effect seemed rather harsher in this dream than in his usual waking life.  When reclining on the Tendo rooftop, he could usually make out at least the brighter of the celestial lights.

                ~_Would you like to see the stars, Ranma?~_

                "Yeah, I would," he whispered to himself.  "I'd like to get away from all that."

                ~_We'll need to leave the city well behind.  Follow me.~_

                Obediently, Ranma adjusted the angle of his flight, and increased his speed to... match...

                A sudden realization jolted him, as if his eyes had been closed all this time and had only just now opened.  "Wait..." it started out spoken aloud to himself, "there's... somebody else... here?"  Raising his voice, he called "Where are you?!"

***************

                With a gasp, Ranma sat bolt upright.  The abrupt transition from the dreaming freedom of flight to the dullness of reality left him panting, trembling, feeling as if someone had just replaced his heart with a sack full of sand.  His head was spinning, as if his equilibrium were still soaring through the air while the rest of him remained unpleasantly earthbound.

                It took a long time to recover his sense of balance.  Once he did so, bitter disappointment replaced his disorientation.   He wasn't, couldn't be, sure how long the previous two dreams had lasted, but they had felt longer than this.  He couldn't remember endings for either of them, which unnoticed absence had been much better than this wrenching discontinuity.

                A quick glance at the clock informed him that half the night still remained.  With a frown, Ranma curled up on his futon and resolutely shut his eyes, hoping to recapture the dream.

                It was a long time, though, before he was able to fall asleep again, and if he dreamed, it was of nothing particularly pleasurable or memorable.

***************

                The remainder of the week passed quietly, for which Ranma was grateful.  On Friday Nabiki informed him that her efforts to see that Kuno got the treatment he needed were going along well, and she was almost sure she wouldn't need Ranma to do anything more than he already had.  Kaori kept her distance at school, though this was mainly due to the need to catch up on the work she'd missed.  The most contact he had with her was on Friday afternoon, when she set the date for their next study session.

                Saturday morning found him sprawled out in the living room, eyes on the television.  A casual observer would have thought him unconcerned, carefree, relaxing lazily without anything on his mind.  However, in truth Ranma's attention was quite tightly focused.  The television was more or less an unnoticed blur as he concentrated on another sense.

                Happy humming from the kitchen... Kasumi's presence was accounted for.  A cry of "Look!  A three-headed monkey!" indicated that his father and Mr. Tendo were at the shogi board, as usual.  Nabiki wasn't here to begin with, nor would she be returning for some hours.  Akane was upstairs in her bedroom, and had just dumped the school books out of her bookbag.  When he heard her shut the door, he acted.  Rolling quickly to his feet, Ranma turned and moved noiselessly to leave while the coast was clear.

                 "Oh my, Ranma.  Are you going somewhere?"

                The Saotome heir jumped and spun around.  How had she _done_ that?!  "Uh, no, I mean, nowhere special, Kasumi.  Just out for a walk."

                For a moment, Kasumi hesitated, as if considering whether to say anything further or just wish him a good time.  Making her decision, she said gravely, "Is that what I should tell Akane if she comes down and asks where you've gone?  Just out for a walk?"

                "Yeah, that's right.  That's what I'm going to be doing, Kasumi.  You don't think I'd want ya to lie to your sister or nothing, do you?"

                "And what should I say when Akane suspects you're going to be meeting someone else on this walk?" Kasumi asked gently.  "Should I tell her how nervous you were when you left?"

                Ranma shook his head vigorously.  For the life of her, Kasumi couldn't tell why he seemed startled at her words.  "It's not like THAT!" he protested.  Then, calming down, he said "Come to think of it, though, that prob'ly IS what she'd think..."

                The thought actually seemed to cheer him up, which only deepened Kasumi's confusion.  "Do you want her to, Ranma?"  She frowned, ever so slightly.  "That won't make my little sister very happy."

                "I know, so when she starts gettin' all mad and stuff, that's when you go ahead and tell her what I was REALLY up to," Ranma said with a grin.

                "What do you mean?"

                "I mean I'm gonna go use my girl form to get some free ice cream or octopus puffs or something," he explained.  "Akane usually throws a hissy fit when I do that, or at least rags on me for a while.  But if she thinks I was out cheating on her and then she finds out I was only scammin' free food, she'll just be relieved."

                "Oh.  You're probably right," Kasumi allowed, thinking of a couple of times in the past when something similar had happened.  Akane had been suspecting the worst, only to catch Ranma in a relatively minor transgression and let the whole thing slide.  Apparently he had learned from those occasions.  

                Not that he couldn't stand to pick up a few more lessons, though.  "But wouldn't you rather have an even better excuse?"

                "Like what?" Ranma asked.

                Kasumi smiled sweetly, wrote out a shopping list, and handed him several thousand yen.  "Ranma, could you please go to the market and pick up some things for me?"

                "Oh!  Sure thing, Kasumi."  He grinned back at her.  "It's okay if I take my time, right?"

                "Just don't spoil your appetite for lunch..."  The eldest Tendo daughter blinked, as if realizing who she was talking to.  "I mean, don't put any poor vendors out of business."

***************

                Just before the final dollop of ice cream could finish working its way through the bottom of the cone and begin dripping, Ranma-chan finished it off.  '_Paid for a one-scoop cone and got two other scoops for free.  Not bad if I do say so myself,_' she thought smugly.  It fell a little short of her personal best record, which was a two-scoop cone for no charge at all, but Ranma-chan was certainly not complaining.

                She paused outside the door to a café, debating whether to go in and change out of her cursed form, but decided against it.  Snack food vendors weren't the only ones who would give better prices to a cute little girl, after all.  Kasumi would surely appreciate getting more of her money back than she'd expected, and it was the least Ranma-chan could do to repay her favor.

                "Ranma?  Is that you?"  The call came from some twenty feet behind her.

                The redhead froze, her cheerful smile dimming a little, then turned around.  "Yo, Kaede."  She waved to the other girl, who walked over toward her.  As far as Ranma-chan could tell from her movements, she seemed to be fully recovered from any injuries she'd sustained in her fight with Kaori.  "How's it going?" she asked once Kaede reached her side.

                "Not so good," Kaede replied uncomfortably, before changing the subject.  "Why're you... like that?  You know, in your cursed form."

                Ranma-chan opted not to admit that she was planning to use her feminine wiles to score better prices at the market.  "Oh... you know..." she shrugged and made a disgusted face.  "Part of the curse is I get splashed a lot.  Water just kinda seems attracted to me."

                A look of sudden enlightenment spread across Kaede's face.  "Oh.  That explains it."  She gave a quick sigh of relief.  "You could've told me that back when you were first explaining the thing, you know."

                "I guess, but what's the big deal?"

                Kaede snorted.  " 'What's the big deal', she says.  Remember our fight, Saotome?  When I touched your Unconsciousness Point?  You were staggering and stumbling like an extra from _Drunken Monkey Fu_."

                "Yeah, so what?"

                "So then you manage to fire off a chi blast, and target it onto a fire hydrant, AND you even hit the thing just precisely enough that when it blows, it shoots its water straight toward you."  Kaede grimaced.  "Talk about making me feel inadequate, once I really started thinking about it.  But I guess it wasn't quite as much of a big deal as I thought."

                "Yeah, yeah, whatever.  My actual PLAN was to splash myself with some of the water.  NOT have it slam into me like that," Ranma-chan grumbled.

                Kaede blinked.  "Hey... that does sound like a better idea."

                "So what're you up to this morning?" Ranma-chan asked, moving the conversation away from talk of curses.

                "I was actually on my way over to the Tendo place," the other girl admitted.  "Needed to talk to you about something.  I'm actually kind of glad you were..." she made a vague gesture, indicating Ranma-chan's current curvaceous form, "like that.  I probably wouldn't have noticed you if it weren't for the red hair."

                The redhead blinked, a note of wariness entering her expression.  "You wanted to talk to me?"

                "Yeah.  But it can wait, if you're busy now.  I could meet you this afternoon or something."

                Ranma-chan considered that for all of one second.  "Nope," she said firmly, "if this was important enough for ya to walk all the way over to see me, let's talk about it now."  '_While I've still got a good excuse for not being home._'

                "Thanks, Ranma," Kaede said hesitantly.  "I appreciate it."

***************

                The aforementioned café was just a few steps back.  Kaede led Ranma-chan there, then blinked in surprise as the redhead started toward a table.  "Um, Ranma?"

                "Huh?  Something wrong?"

                "This isn't the right place for what I need to talk about."  Kaede gave her companion a strange look.  "I just thought you'd want to get some hot water and change back to normal."

                "Yeah, whatever."  Not a good sign, Ranma-chan thought apprehensively.  She'd been hoping whatever kind of talk Kaede had in mind would be the kind that could go on between two girls just as easily as a girl and her fiancé.  Apparently not, though... on the other hand, Kaede had also said that this wasn't the kind of place she wanted to go, and while Ranma-chan might be inexperienced she knew enough to realize that this type of spot was fairly popular for couples on dates.  With no better option, she went into the restroom, returned to his birth form, and left with Kaede.

                Conversation flagged between the two of them as they walked along.  Any relief Ranma had been feeling at Kaede's statement that the café wasn't the right spot for their talk quickly evaporated, once he realized that she was leading him toward a nearby park.  The passage of a few minutes found them there, in a secluded corner surrounded by trees.  Ranma stood a little ways off to Kaede's side, leaning against a large rock.  Kaede sat on the ground, knees drawn up to her chest and arms clasped around her legs, looking forward with her eyes unfocused.

                The expression on her face made Ranma's stomach clench.  He tried to convince himself that the hurt in her expression might be just a fading remnant of injuries from her fight with Kaori.  But though he would have liked to believe this, it sure didn't look like that kind of pain to him.

                Abruptly, Kaede broke the silence.  "Kaori told me she's in your class at school.  Did you know I challenged her, last Thursday?"

                "That's what she told me," Ranma confirmed.

                "And I guess you know who won, huh?"

                "Yeah.  I heard it was a pretty rough fight, too," he said.  "I didn't see Kaori again until Wednesday afternoon, an' she was still hurting plenty then."

                "Well, that's SOME consolation," Kaede muttered bitterly, still not looking at him.

                "Are you okay?" Ranma asked, starting now to get really concerned.  "It's been more than a week already.  You didn't get hurt bad or nothing, did you?"

                For a long moment, Kaede didn't respond.  Then she shuddered, and in a voice of tight control, she asked, "Ranma?  What do YOU think?!  I've spent my life traveling and learning new styles.  Facing down different challenges.  I didn't even come looking for you until I beat the top students of ten dojos in a row."

                '_Whoah... she was a dojo destroyer?!' Ranma thought, his attention temporarily diverted by an extremely incongruous mental picture of Kaede's slight form standing next to the massive freak who'd challenged the Tendo dojo so long ago._

                He tuned back in to hear "... bad enough, but I could handle losing to one of the legendary Chinese Amazons.  But..." abruptly, Kaede clenched one hand into a fist, then punched down into the earth beside her, "... this is too much.  It's just TOO DAMN MUCH!"  She rose to her feet with the suddenness of an uncoiling spring, turning to stare him directly in the eyes.  The desperation in her gaze would have knocked Ranma back a pace, had his back not been against a ton of solid stone.  "What if it was you, Saotome?!  How do you think YOU'D feel, if after all your hard work and sacrifices YOU lost to some loser with a pathetic style like Martial Arts Takeout?!"

                "Hah.  That's easy," Ranma said, glad for a question he could answer without even thinking about it.  "I'd get ticked off, figure out a counter to whatever cheap trick caught me off-guard, train for the rematch, then kick my opponent's butt."

                Kaede blinked, distinctly conscious of a feeling of having the wind taken out of her sails.  '_Like father, like son,' she thought vaguely.  Pulling herself together a bit, she said,  "That's easy to SAY, Ranma.  I think it might bother you just a little more than that."_

                "Nope.  No big deal," Ranma said, shaking his head.  "Been there, done that, know what I'm talking about."

                "Really?" Kaede asked skeptically.  "You've had this same kind of thing happen?"

                "Oh yeah.  First time was..." Ranma cast his memory back.  He generally preferred not to stir up these recollections, but in the interests of making a girl feel better, this was a much smaller sacrifice than was usually required.  "I think I was about thirteen.  Got challenged to a match by the heir of Martial Arts Defenestration."

                "Martial Arts... Defenestration?  What the heck is that?!"

                Ranma snorted.  "I shoulda asked that same question.  But bein' the cocky kid that I was, I didn't even bother.  I figured Anything Goes would be enough to blow him away, whatever it was.

                "Course, ya probably already guessed it didn't work out like that.  I show up for the fight, and that's when they spring it on me that you have to win according to their rules.  Which they didn't explain, I might add."

                Kaede frowned.  "Didn't explain?!  If someone tried to pull a stunt like that on me, I'd just walk out on him."

                Her fiancé shrugged.  "Yeah, well, with age comes wisdom or something like that.  Anyway, I thought I'd still be able to win by figuring out what he was trying to do and then doing it back to him, only better.  Course, as soon as he threw me out the window, which is what 'defenestration'  means, the match was over."

                Almost against her will, Kaede snickered.  "Sucker."

                "Watch it, Kaede, or I'll challenge YOU to a match of Martial Arts Deinhibitionalization," Ranma warned.

                Inwardly resolving to find a dictionary later on, Kaede said, "Okay, okay, I get your point.  You lost because you got caught off-guard.  And I guess I could say the same thing."  She sighed, her mood darkening again just a little.  "It still sucks, though.  I guess I can see a couple of ways to deal with her tricks."  Long pants made of thick cloth ought to block the chopstick shiatsu attacks, and carrying a real sai should let her defeat that bizarre noodle attack.  "But even without them, she was a lot better than I expected."

                "Get used to it," Ranma advised.  "You're gonna see plenty of opponents if ya stay around Nerima for long, Kaede.  Some of 'em will be really good fighters, and some of 'em will have stranger styles than you ever imagined."

                "Just my bad luck to run right into someone who combines both those things, I guess," Kaede said.

                "Pretty much," Ranma agreed.  "Anyway, you WILL lose the early match sometimes.  It's no big deal.  The important thing is who wins in the end."

                "...I understand."  Kaede gave a quick, decisive nod.  "Thanks, Ranma."

                "No problem."  Now that her issue had been resolved, he had a question of his own.  "Hey, Kaede?"

                "What is it?"

                He gestured, indicating the surrounding foliage.  "Why'd ya want to go all the way out here to talk about this?"

                Kaede snorted.  "You think I was going to spill my guts about this kind of stuff where a bunch of lamebrained normal kids could listen to me?  How many people you know who would really understand why this mattered so much to me?"

                '_Let's see... Ryoga... Shampoo...'  Ranma stopped counting at that point as he realized something.  "Actually, pretty much everybody I know, except maybe Nabiki and Kasumi."_

                "Well, maybe I should've come to Nerima a long time ago then," she said, giving his statement the benefit of the doubt.  "Only times I've met people my own age I have much in common with, it's because Dad and I are visiting their dojo for a new challenge.  I've done my share of time in school, but I never really met anybody who understood me.  Or who I understood, if it comes to that."

                "Traveling the path of a true martial artist is lonely sometimes," Ranma said.  It irked him slightly that the only thing he could think to say that really fit the conversation was a quote from Genma.

                "And someone to walk it with you is something worth a lot," Kaede said softly, not looking at Ranma.  "Worth fighting for, that's for sure."

                Now there was NOTHING Ranma could think of to interject into the conversation.  As he cast frantically about for a decent way to change the subject, Kaede turned to face him.  The look in her eyes froze him completely.  It was as if the last of a series of masks, shed one after another during the previous conversation, had finally come off.  She was scared, and hopeful, and so very, very vulnerable.  "I'd... I'd like to get to know..."  Kaede cut herself off, mentally cursing herself for a coward.  She took a deep breath, then said, "I've never been on a date in my life, Ranma.  There's a festival coming up next week, and I'd really like to go there with my fiancé."

***************

                "Here ya go, Kasumi."

                The eldest Tendo daughter blinked in mild alarm.  Knowing Ranma's real reason for going out, she hadn't looked for him to return quickly.  Nor had he, but he had also taken significantly longer to come back than she had expected.  And now, when she finally heard him come in and met him in the living room, she found him in a much less pleasant mood than when he'd left.

                "Thank you, Ranma."  She took the bag full of vegetables that he'd purchased for her, and accepted her change with a quick grateful smile.  "Is everything all right?  You don't look happy."

                "I'm not," Ranma said frankly.

                After waiting a few seconds for him to continue, she prompted, "Do you want to talk about it?"

                "No, but..." Ranma heaved a sigh.  "But I'd probably better."  His expression brightened by just the faintest of glimmers.  "Maybe you can help me out, Kasumi."

                "Oh my, Ranma," she said, taken aback.  Visions of the kind of challenges her pigtailed houseguest usually faced danced through her head.  "I don't know what I could do."

                "Well, what I was hopin' was that you could figure out a way for me to tell Akane I've got a date with Kaede next week."

***************

                Akane froze, her foot a scant inch from touching the topmost stair, her descent arrested before it could really begin.  She had left her room and entered the hallway in time to hear her sister ask Ranma whether he wanted to talk about something.  And now...  '_Did... did he say...'  Mechanically her leg retracted, joining the other again, leaving her standing frozen at the top of the stairs._

                His words replayed themselves in her mind.  As they did, as they sunk in, her stomach clenched.  Her pulse rang behind her ears like the ocean's roar.  Her first impulse was to storm downstairs and demand details from Ranma.  He'd let Shampoo trick him into a date just the other day!  Didn't he learn anything at all?!

                With teeth gritted, determination burning in her eyes, anger churning in her gut, Akane moved again.  And again, her foot halted before it could touch down on the stair's surface.  The anger was still there, driving her to hurry downstairs and confront Ranma... but another emotion was suddenly rising, pushing the more comfortable and familiar one aside.  A sudden surge of cold fear, that also, just for a moment, thinned the veils she kept over some deeply-buried emotions.

                '_He told me he didn't want to go out with Shampoo.  He told me she tricked him into it,' Akane thought, trying to shake off the unwelcome flood of doubt.  '__But... did he... then why...'_

                She couldn't really put words to the thoughts that were filling her head now.  They didn't even need words; the concepts shouldered their way directly from her unconscious fears to her forebrain without bothering to filter through the screen of language, coming as a dark swarm that passed through her in an instant.

                Ranma had _said_ he didn't want to go out with Shampoo... but she couldn't really trust him, could she?  Not really.  Not in something like this.  He'd probably jumped at the chance.  And that wasn't enough for him, was it?  Oh, no, it wasn't enough to have Shampoo hanging all over him.  It wasn't enough to sneak around behind Akane's back with the girl who did EVERYTHING that mattered better than her.  It wasn't enough to have other girls chasing him too, other girls against whom she didn't dare compare herself.  

                It was NEVER enough for him!  Now he was even chasing Kaede, too!  Ranma might call her uncute all the time, but Akane felt sure she had Kaede, at least, beaten in that arena.  But that didn't matter to Ranma Saotome, apparently... it didn't matter how cute Kaede wasn't... it didn't matter how Kaede or Kaori or ANYBODY treated her, even though Ranma had said she was his friend... it didn't matter who he already had who wanted him... 

                All these thoughts passed through her mind in a fraction of an instant, leaving her trembling and with a queasy feeling of sickness in her stomach.  The anger was still there, though muted now... the outrage at this latest development hadn't been _completely_ choked by a fear she didn't dare examine closely.  Instinctively, Akane reached out to the anger again, knowing the familiar emotion would shield her, wanting only to displace the thoughts she couldn't even bring herself to face head-on.

                Her sister's gentle voice drifting up the stairs distracted her, though.  For a second, Akane hung motionless... balanced between emotional states even as her body hung poised, one leg still in the air, unsure whether to descend or retreat.  And then, with a great effort of will, she pushed all the churning emotions into the back of her mind, burying them as deeply as she could.  The youngest Tendo pulled back, just a little, her foot once again returning to rest beside the other.  She waited, in a sort of frozen calm, listening carefully to hear what her errant fiancé was saying.  Surely not even Ranma, untrustworthy jerk and all-around pervert that he was, could lie to Kasumi.

                She hoped she was ready for whatever answers she was about to get.

***************

                Kasumi blinked.  "You have a date with Kaede?  Did you run into her when you went out this morning?"

                "Yeah, that's why I'm late.  She wanted to talk."  Ranma sighed.  "So we did, an' then she ends it by getting me to take her to the festival next week."

                His companion waited for a few seconds, but wasn't really surprised that no more detail was forthcoming.  "Ranma, I need you to tell me more than that, if I'm going to break this gently to Akane," she said.

                "Like what?"

                "The most important thing... Ranma, do you want to go on a date with her?"

                The Saotome heir boggled.  "Huh?  No!"  Only at the last minute did he manage to modulate the volume of his reply, speaking in an emphatic undertone rather than a shout.  The LAST thing he wanted was to attract Akane's attention and have her wander downstairs!

                "Then why did you agree to take her on one?" Kasumi asked, reasonably enough.

                "Whaddaya mean?" he asked, squirming helplessly.

                "I've seen you turn down Shampoo," the eldest Tendo daughter pointed out.  "If you can do that, why not Kaede?"

                "That's different!" he protested.  "Shampoo's tough, it's not like I'm gonna hurt her feelings or nothin'.  She asks, I say no, no big deal--she'll probably just ask again next time she sees me."

                "But you think Kaede wouldn't take it like that?"

                Ranma shook his head wordlessly.  "You weren't there, Kasumi.  She was... she..." he shrugged helplessly.  "Sorry.  I'm not good at talking about this kind of stuff."

                '_You and everyone else in this household,' a tiny voice in the very back of Kasumi's head muttered.  She didn't really listen to it, though, just asked, "What did you two talk about at first?  Did that have anything to do with it?"_

                "Yeah, kinda."  This had to do with martial arts, so it was significantly easier to discuss.  "She had a challenge match with Kaori last week, Kasumi, and she lost.  I get the feeling that that hasn't happened to her too much.  Because she was really bummed about it."

                "Oh dear.  Well, I'm certainly glad she had you to talk to, to tell her how to handle that experience," Kasumi said.  "So she was hurting, and then you made her feel better, and then she asked you for a date?"

                "Yeah, that's about how it happened."

                "Well, I can see why you wouldn't want to make her feel bad again after that," Kasumi replied.  "I'll speak to Akane."

                "Thanks," he said awkwardly, then fell silent.

                The eldest Tendo daughter waited.  He might not be saying anything, but his posture indicated that there was something else trying to come out.

                Abruptly, Ranma spoke up again.  "I hate this, Kasumi.  All this... all this crap that's piling up on me.  It's all his fault, and I'm the one who has to deal with it."

                "All whose fault, Ranma?"  It was more a prompt to keep him talking than a serious request for information.

                "You haveta ask?"  The Saotome heir snorted.  "My old man, that's who.  He's made all these stupid deals, didn't care a thing about honor or keeping promises or nothin'.  Didn't even worry about hurtin' other people as long as he could get something for himself.  He did all this and now he just leaves me to take the flak for it.  It's just... it's not right..."

                He took a deep breath, re-establishing the control that had wavered there for a bit.  "I don't wanna be like that, Kasumi.  Can't be like that.  I gotta do better than my old man.  But it's hard... it's hard when I don't even know what to do..."

                "I'm not sure what to tell you," Kasumi admitted.  She had hoped that getting this off his chest would make him feel better.  But if the talk had soothed any of his stress, the Tendo daughter couldn't see a sign of it.  What else could she say or do, to help relieve poor Ranma's pent-up feelings?

                She glanced around as if searching for inspiration.  Absently she noted that the floor in this room needed to be swept soon... a noticeable (to her, at least) amount of panda hair had accumulated in the corners...

                Kasumi smiled sweetly.  "Perhaps you should go spar with your father, Ranma.  Doing something you enjoy might make you feel better."

***************

                For a long moment, Akane remained at the top of the stairs, struggling with indecision.  She couldn't decide whether to go down and tell Ranma that she'd heard, that she wasn't mad, that everything would be okay, or just to play it cool and surprise him by not getting upset when Kasumi broke the news of his next forced date to her.

                When she heard Ranma's challenge to his father, Akane realized that inertia had made the decision for her.  She retreated to her room, closed the door behind her, and sat down on the bed.  "I hate this," she muttered, wishing P-chan were around.  Speaking her thoughts and feelings out loud helped settle them, but talking to herself felt more than a little awkward.  "I wish they'd all just leave.  Ranma shouldn't have to put up with this... _I_ shouldn't have to put up with this..."

                She sighed.  "At least Kodachi's gone.  And Ukyo finally gave up... maybe..."  Her voice lowered nearly to a whisper.  If you really, really want something, you shouldn't speak the wish too loud.  "Maybe Shampoo will soon, too.  I think if she just quit and left, I could put up with the rest of them a lot easier.  Not to mention how much better off Ranma would be.

                "I just wish we could get a break.  Lately everything seems to be happening so fast."  Akane picked up her pillow, held it behind her, and scooted back until she was braced against the wall.  She pulled her knees up to her chest and curved her arms around them, unknowingly imitating the posture Kaede had used earlier, when sharing her own pain with Ranma.

***************

                The hours passed, and Nabiki returned home.  Akane's door wasn't closed, so the middle Tendo didn't bother to knock, just walked into the room.  Her younger sister was sitting at her desk, staring half-heartedly at the pages of a textbook.  "Kasumi said you wanted to see me?"

                "Oh, hi, Nabiki.  Yes, I did."  Akane fell silent, trying to decide how to lead into her request.

                After waiting a few seconds, Nabiki said, "She didn't actually tell me what you wanted, Akane.  You're going to have to do that yourself."

                "I know... it's just..."  Akane took a deep breath, deciding to just spit it out.  "This morning Kaede got Ranma to agree to a date with her."

                Nabiki blinked in surprise.  "So soon after that business with Shampoo?  I would have thought he'd lie low for at least a little while longer."

                Akane frowned.  "You don't think it was his idea, do you?  It's all her fault!"

                Nabiki picked herself up from her facefault and stared at Akane.  "Ohhhhkay.  So what exactly did you want from me?"

                "I want you..."  Another deep breath.  "I want you to tell Shampoo about the date."

                "Ah.  So, in other words, you don't want this date to happen."  Nabiki regarded her sister thoughtfully, and with an utter lack of surprise.  "There might be better ways than trying to use Shampoo as a cat's-paw."

                "Forget it," Akane said, surprising her sister with her vehemence.  "Just do what I asked, okay Nabiki?"

                Nabiki shrugged.  "Sure, fine, whatever.  I'd like to know why you wanted it done like this, though."

                "I just think she ought to know what she's getting herself into with Ranma, that's all," Akane said bitterly.  "Let _her know what it feels like, to always have other girls getting in the way and messing things up."_

                There were quite a number of things Nabiki could have said in response to this.  She could have reminded Akane that Kaede had already taken one beating from Shampoo without it shaking her resolve.  She could have offered to send Kaede to talk to Ukyo.  At the very least, she could have seized the opening for some teasing.  But one glance at her sister's expression was enough to clue her in that there was only one thing Akane was willing to hear right now.

                "All right, little sister.  I'll make sure Shampoo finds out."

***************

                This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

                That plaintive sense of discontentment was the first thing he felt.  Ranma didn't know what was wrong, but something was definitely amiss.  As he had done before, he tried to focus, tried to get a feeling for what was happening around him.

                The blank mists of dreamless sleep receded, his act of concentration pushing them back more quickly than before.  The increasing clarity brought one fundamental realization...  once again, he was dreaming.  There wasn't evidence to support this--he wasn't aware of anything surrounding him, just a dark void--but the knowledge was there anyway.

                He mulled over that thought for a bit.  As his awareness continued to increase, he eventually decided it wasn't that surprising.  He could even vaguely remember going to bed with the hope of a night of good dreams, to help balance out the stress of the day.

                And in some fundamental (if as-yet-unrecognizable) way, this dream did remind him of some of the best ones he'd had recently.  The ones where he soared through the night, unfettered and unencumbered.  Where he left the strife and turmoil and complications of his real life behind, if only for a little while.

                Ranma thought wistfully of those previous dreams.  What was it about this one that felt similar to them?  Then he had flown through the darkened sky, and his single greatest emotion had been the sense of freedom.  Here, he was standing solidly on the ground.  There were buildings close around him, although they were barely visible through the thick smoky haze of darkness.  They loomed above him, seeming to bend as they rose; Ranma had the distant impression that their tops would have touched, forming a cage above him, except that they vanished into the enveloping shadow before this could happen.

                He blinked, suddenly aware that his surroundings had changed... either that or he'd just become aware of them.  Well, that might be a hopeful sign.  Maybe he'd just wandered into his dream before it was fully assembled or something.  Maybe it would turn into one of those good ones in another minute.  Or maybe... hmmm, he couldn't really remember how any of the others had started.  Possibly they all began like this.  Perhaps he just needed to give it a little boost.  Experimentally, Ranma jumped, hoping not to come down.

                It was quite a remarkably coherent feat of deduction, considering he was dreaming and had less than twenty percent of his cognitive functions on-line.  It was also, unfortunately, quite wrong.

                He had leaped as hard as he could, an act that would have sent him hurtling several stories into the air in the waking world.  Here, he didn't even clear a meter.  He dropped back to the ground, as shocked as he could be through the clouding fog of the dream.  It thinned a little further, and suddenly Ranma realized something else about his surroundings.  It had been there all along; it was the source of the feeling of fundamental wrongness that had been his first sensation, but only now did he actually become aware enough to recognize it.

                He could feel the earth beneath him, looming so close, so harsh, so confining.  Its pull was like all the chains in the world combined, dragging him down, binding him, immobilizing him.  He'd seen an anime episode once where, to build their strength and stamina, martial artists trained in a room with radically increased gravity.  The Saotome heir had thought it was a cool idea at the time, but going into something like that willingly was a far cry from being subjected to it with no regard to his desires.

                '_Man, I can't even get a break from my own subconscious mind,' Ranma growsed._

                He jumped again, focusing his will and trying to break free of the grasping pull.  No luck; if anything he caught less air than in his previous attempt.  In frustration, he then tried to snap himself awake.  That would be better than this sorry disappointing excuse for a dream.  Again, no luck.

                ~_This way, Ranma.~_

                Automatically, he complied.  Each step took a great deal of effort, yet paradoxically required little of his attention.  His mind stayed mainly focused on thinking annoyed thoughts about whatever uncooperative facet of his subconscious was subjecting him to this.  Not until he'd walked two blocks did he realize what was happening.

                With each step, the pull of the earth beneath him lessened, just a little.  It was such a small change that it shouldn't have been perceptible, but dreams ignore such rules as often as not.  So he could just walk this stupid condition off?  The thought cheered Ranma quite a bit.  Experimentally he tried another jump.  The results were disconcerting, to say the least.

                He managed to reach a height of two meters... but on landing, the pull of the earth was suddenly every bit as strong as it originally had been.  Ranma swore under his breath, and started walking again, hoping whatever rules this stupid dream played by would become apparent before too much longer.  As if to mock him, though, this time each step he took _increased the weight of the invisible chains._

                ~_You're going the wrong way.~_

                Instinctively he reoriented to the communication.  And now it was better, now it was as it had been before.  His first step removed all the burden that had accumulated over his last few actions, returning conditions to how they had been before his last experimental jump.  Subsequent ones continued to lighten the load.

                That development sparked his curiosity.  Cautiously he took another jump, making sure that this time the direction of his leap didn't take him away from the path he'd been walking.  A bit more than two meters... and when he landed, the earth beneath him had no more attraction than it had at his last step.

                Ranma grinned, and broke into a sprint.

                The continual lessening of the force holding him down was no substitute for the undiluted freedom of flight, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.  Ranma raced through the darkened streets, occasionally turning at intersections when word came to do so, yet still not quite realizing that he was being led.

                ~_You're almost there.~_

                THAT had done the trick.  Ranma skidded to a stop, blinking in surprise, as once again the realization crashed in upon him that he was not, in fact, alone.

                ~_Up here, Ranma.~_

                For a moment, he stood still, looking up at the sight before him.  He had come to the Tokyo Tower.  Its steel skeleton loomed before him, rising like a ladder toward the invisible stars.  Ranma glanced around, noting that all the other buildings within his line of sight were as they had been, only barely visible through the thick darkness that hung in the air.  But there was nothing obscuring this one.

                Ranma shrugged and began leaping from girder to girder, pleased to find that his jumps were no longer hindered at all.  At least the important rules seemed clear for now.

                In no time at all, he reached the topmost observation deck of the tower.  He stopped there, looking around and waiting for whatever would happen next.  Somehow, he didn't think he would have to wait very long.

                Nor did it take long for things to change.  Out of the corner of his eye Ranma saw it begin; he turned and gave his full attention to the Tokyo sprawl.  The lights were going out, all across the city--streetlights and buildings alike were sinking down into darkness.  Considering how he had moved across a significant portion of the city without encountering anybody else, Ranma felt like it was about time too.  No need to blot out the night with all that brightness if there wasn't anybody around who needed it.

                It only took a few moments for all the artificial fires to die.  Ranma didn't look up until the last was extinguished.  He wanted to see the sky untainted by any of the light pollution that had been there before.

                He blinked in surprise.  The stars were spread across the sky with all the clarity he remembered from his second dream... except there seemed to be a hole of sorts, where they simply didn't exist.  A gap of absolute blackness, that stood out against the night sky as clearly as would a halogen light in a room of lit candles.  And the gap was growing... no, not growing... _approaching_...

                Later, when he was awake, Ranma would remember that moment, and wonder just why he would dream something like that up.  A darkness darker than the night?  A sentient cloud roughly the volume of the room he slept in?  He would eventually decide that it was just a reaction to all the weirdness he'd experienced over the last few years, and let it go at that.

                For now, though, such thoughts were absent.  The sight before him didn't seem unnatural.  Not even surprising, really... in fact, Ranma suspected that he now knew just what had provided the shield that had surrounded him during his last two dreams.

                ~_No questions, Ranma.~  The billowing cloud of darkness was now hanging motionless, hovering in midair more or less level with Ranma's own elevation.  The words came more clearly, more emphatically, than ever before.  ~__This isn't the time.  We can fly now in freedom, if you just accept this, if you just accept the opportunity.  Or you can wake again, as you did before._

                ~_It's up to you.~_

                Of course there were questions he would have liked to ask.  However, the choice was an easy one to make.  "Well, I don't know about you," Ranma said with a grin, "but I'm not ready for this to be over."

                ~_I'm glad.~_

                A fragment of the darkness detached and approached him, flaring and extending into graceful arcs.  The ephemeral wings settled into place at his shoulders.  It was a very curious sensation, to suddenly realize that they'd been there all along in his previous dreams, and he simply hadn't ever noticed the fact.  But Ranma didn't dwell on it for any length of time.  When someone gives you the key to your cage, you don't spend your time studying it, you pop open the lock as quickly as you can.

                Together, he and his companion took flight, quickly leaving the darkened city far behind.

***************

                The bright sunlight of a Monday morning was streaming down as Kaede stepped out from the shop, but she didn't let that lull her into a false sense of security.  She took a long, careful look at the sky before walking away from shelter.  As with Kaori, it hadn't taken her long to learn how unpredictable the weather could be in Nerima, and though under normal circumstances getting caught in a little shower didn't bother her, the package she was carrying now couldn't handle such treatment.  Still, as there were no clouds to be seen, she ought to be safe enough.  Kaede left the shop behind and began walking toward the inn where she and her father were staying.

                She moved more slowly than usual, though, entertaining thoughts that ran much deeper than the usual day-to-day concerns.  The package in her arms felt unusually heavy.  As she walked, she imagined she could feel the contents within shifting back and forth in time to her steps, causing the parcel to tremble as if it were the cage of some living thing.  She seemed to sense the eyes of all the pedestrians on her, staring covertly, as if they knew what she was carrying and the thought amused them.

                After having walked a couple of blocks, Kaede was getting very tired of this.  '_This is ridiculous!_' she thought fiercely, trying to rid herself of the sensations.  '_It's only a lady's festival kimono.  And I've got just as much right to wear one as any of them!'  She looked up from the package and glared around at the various pedestrians.  '__Actually, I've got a heck of a lot more right to wear it than most of them,' she amended, seeing that most of the people around her on the street were actually men._

                With renewed determination she quickened her stride, clamping down hard on the traitorous mental image that followed.  Maybe most of these men WOULD just politely ignore her, Kaede admitted to herself, if they saw her decked out in her new finery.  But she didn't care about their opinions.  She wanted no part of their humdrum, mediocre, another-day-another-122-yen existence.  She wanted to _live_, and for her, the Art was life.  And there was only one man whose opinion of her in her new kimono was going to matter.

                '_I hope he likes it.'  Once again Kaede's eyes had drifted down to rest on her package.  '__It's been so long since I've worn one of these... I was just a little girl.  I always knew things were going to change, once I caught up with my fiancé, but...'  She sighed suddenly.  "But I thought I'd be able to go slower," she whispered, thinking more bitterly of Genma than she usually did._

                Off and on during her training journey, Kaede had speculated on what Ranma would be like, once she finally met him.  During the earlier years, she had fantasized about a stereotypical 'prince on a white horse', someone handsome and kind and strong and sensitive and witty and caring and faithful... in other words, perfect.  As she grew older, and realized just how few such men were out there (i.e., none), her dreams had become more realistic.

                She'd wanted someone considerate; Ranma had shown he was that, if a little clumsily, when he helped her out of her depression over her loss to Kaori.  She'd hoped for someone handsome, though this had been regarded more as optional icing on the cake than anything else.  She certainly hadn't been disappointed there.  And above all, the quality that sat squarely atop Kaede's list of requirements... her fiancé had to share, or at least understand and accept, her passion for the Art.  And again, though she hadn't spent all that much time with him yet, she was nearly certain Ranma fit that mold as well.

                But slowly, over the last week or two, Kaede had been realizing that there was something else she'd wanted her fiancé to have.  Something that she'd never consciously considered, but rather assumed as a given.  Something that it seemed was not the case after all.

                She had expected to find someone more or less in the same boat as her--inexperienced when it came to the mysteries of relationships and romance.  After all, like herself, he would have grown up with the knowledge that he had a fiancée waiting for him.  That tie of honor should discourage anybody from the usual confusion of teenage dating games.  She had always thought that once she finally met up with Ranma, the two of them would learn of such things together, at their own pace.

                The situation as it stood was much less pleasant.  Kaede had to assume that Ranma was much more experienced than her, given the number of girls who had gotten to him before she did.  Girls who had their own honor ties to him.  Girls who... she gritted her teeth... who were all significantly more attractive than she was.  AND at least one of whom was apparently much more skilled than her as well.

                The thought of Shampoo made her grit her teeth again, harder than before.  She began walking more quickly.  "Never thought I'd say this, but thank the kami for those bloodthirsty laws of hers," Kaede muttered.  "That's gotta be the only reason Ranma didn't grab her as soon as she made her offer.  Nobody that pretty should be that good of a martial artist too.  It's just not fair.  I just... I wish she weren't part of the picture."

                With a resounding crash, something shattered the pavement ten feet in front of Kaede.  Battle-honed instincts kicked in, and the girl jumped backward, tossing her precious package to land on an out-of-the-way bench.  "What the..."  Her outraged cry trailed off, become a muttered, "Oh, crap."

                The sidewalk had been shattered, but not enough dust had been kicked up to obscure the approaching form.  Shampoo moved forward with the lethal grace of a tiger on the prowl, bent to pick up the bonbori she'd thrown, and continued toward Kaede.  "Nihao, obstacle girl," she growled.

***************

                The soft breeze of a Tuesday evening ruffled Ranma's hair.  The mixed glow of paper lanterns and electric lights was behind him, casting his face into shadow.  People approached and walked past him fairly regularly; each time he would check their faces, and each time the result would be the same.  Kaede still hadn't showed up yet.

                He stood there waiting, listening idly to the sounds of the festival behind him.  The usual detritus had been cleared from two wide thoroughfares that crossed at a ninety-degree angle, and brightly-decorated booths featuring various attractions now lined their sides above and below and to either side of the intersection.  These were interspersed at odd intervals with poles a little taller than Ranma's height, left unpainted and covered in spirit wards.  Ranma had only taken a glance into the fair before settling down to wait for Kaede, but that sight had caught his attention.  Frankly, it had given him a bit of an unpleasant jolt.  The poles had seemed as repulsive as diseased, dying trees with their bark hanging loose in ragged tatters.

                '_Man, how much longer is Kaede going to take?' Ranma thought.  '__It's almost the time she said to meet her here.  She's the one who wanted this date.  That means she's supposed to show up early.'_

                And then, only five feet away, he saw her.  Several seconds earlier, a large crowd of people had turned into the lane and walked forward to enter the festival.  They had prevented Ranma from seeing Kaede's arrival, but now the crowd had passed, leaving the two of them alone on the street.  The pigtailed martial artist stared as slowly, painfully, the effort obvious with each step, she stumbled forward.

                As she reached his side, Kaede gave Ranma a piercing stare.  "It's taking all the skill I learned in a lifetime of training to keep from falling down, Ranma.  How the _HELL do normal women move around so quickly in one of these things?!"_

                Ranma sized up the kimono she wore.  "I think you got one of the heavier, more traditional kind, Kaede."

                She blinked.  "Really?  You mean..." pausing to glance at a couple of girls walking by, "... they're wearing something easier to deal with?"

                "Yeah, probably.  For something like you've got on, you've got to move slowly and carefully."

                "Figures," Kaede grumped.  "I'm not meant for slow and careful.  I like to go fast."

                Ranma gulped, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.  "Just don't do gettin' any ideas like that about tonight!"

                "Huh?  What do you...?"  Kaede blinked as understanding hit her.  She took a quick step backward, making a warding gesture as her face flushed.  "N- NO!  It's not like tha--AACK!"  This last came as her unwieldy kimono caused the retreat to transform into a stumble, and then a fall.

                Ranma's recent increase in speed meant he actually had time to hesitate, wondering whether this was an attempt to get him into glomping position, then decide that even if it was he couldn't let her hit the pavement, and still move to catch her before she had fallen past the forty-five degree angle mark.  "You okay?" he asked as he straightened her back up on her feet, relieved that she hadn't tried to grab him in return.

                "Yeah, I'm fine," Kaede muttered, looking down.  Her cheeks were flushed worse than ever.  "Stupid kimono."

                The Saotome heir at least managed to recognize this emotion, due to personal experience.  Kaede was mortally embarrassed.  "Eh, don't worry about it.  At least it looks good."

                "Y- you think?"  The flush hadn't lessened, but Kaede's overall emotions were suddenly a good bit less unpleasant.  She had spent several hours searching for the garment that she liked the best.  It was of cream-colored silk, overlaid with a pattern of orchids.  At least to her, the colors seemed to both accentuate and soften her eyes.

                "Yeah.  Just take it slow and easy, and you'll be okay."

                She swallowed, thinking of the double meaning.  Deliberately she put those thoughts aside, trying for now to view this whole evening as just another kata.  Let it flow, and don't think too much.  "Slow and easy... right."  Experimentally, Kaede took a few more steps, moving even more slowly than when she had first walked over to him.  "Hmm... not so bad," she allowed, after attaining a tentative rhythm.  "I think I'm getting the hang of this.  You want to head on in now?"

                "Yeah, let's go."  Ranma stayed on the alert for a few seconds, hanging half a pace back in case Kaede should stumble again.  As it became obvious that she was now moving with considerably more grace and poise than before, he had to ask, "Um, Kaede?"

                "What is it, Ranma?"

                "How could you walk all the way over here and not figure out how to move in that thing?"

                Kaede gave him a frankly incredulous look.  "You think I walked that far wearing something like this?!  No thank you.  I took a taxi."

***************

                They passed through the gate that marked the entrance to the festival grounds, and began to walk slowly along the concourse.  As luck would have it, only a few paces in stood a booth selling various snack foods.  "You want something, Kaede?" Ranma asked, indicating the vendor.

                "Maybe.  Let's see what they have."  The two teens walked over and examined the various foodstuffs that were available.  Ranma purchased a jumbo order of takoyaki.  Kaede hesitated, not seeing anything she really wanted to eat.  At last she settled on a packet of sweet chestnuts, and put them away for later.

                They walked on, silent for the moment as Ranma finished his food.  Kaede took the opportunity to look around, checking out the various other festival attendees.  It was still a little annoying to see other kimono-clad teenage girls, kids who'd be too afraid of breaking a nail to even _try martial arts, who were moving around more quickly and easily than she was.  But here and there through the crowd, she noticed some older women moving with the same slow, graceful poise her own heavy garment had forced her to adopt.  Without exception, they were wearing kimonos that seemed especially ornate, well-cared-for, and appealing to Kaede.  This lessened the annoyance factor considerably, and eliminated the last vestiges of the impulse to try and match the pace set by the other teens._

                After a few moments, one particular girl caught her eye for a different reason.  The girl in question seemed to be even less comfortable with her kimono than Kaede was.  Not particularly surprising, though, as she was a Western gaijin, with freckled skin, round green eyes, and curly blonde hair.  Although she seemed out of place, the smile she wore made it clear she was enjoying herself.  Her expression was mirrored by the man whose arm she held; a Japanese whom Kaede estimated to be in his early twenties.

                Kaede watched them, a bit wistfully, identifying a little with the girl who was so clearly out of place here, glad that the foreigner was enjoying herself nonetheless, and hoping that she might take this as an auspicious omen for herself.  As she watched, the couple moved to the nearest of the ward-covered timbers.  For a moment, the man hunted for an open space of bare wood; on finding one, he placed a ward of his own, then turned and gave his date such a tender, loving smile that Kaede felt embarrassed for watching them.  She glanced away, noting as she did that Ranma was just swallowing the last of his octopus puffs.

                "Hey, Ranma, do you know what those pillars are for?"  As it happened, they were fairly close to one now.  Kaede gestured toward it.

                He shrugged.  "Nope.  Just part of the atmosphere, maybe?"

                "Ah, that is where you are wrong, young sir."  Ranma and Kaede turned, to find a man clothed in the garments of a monk standing behind them.  "Each of those wards contains a blessing.  Before the festival began, we priests prepared a great variety of such--blessings for luck, and prosperity, and happiness, and health, and safe childbirth, and love, and a great many more.  They were placed on the poles to be taken by the revelers, that if anyone should have a great need for one of these blessings, he should remove a ward that spoke of such, and carry it with him."

                "The festival's been going on for two days now," Ranma pointed out.  "And I don't see any big gaps on those poles.  You guys put up new wards to replace the ones that get taken?"

                "No.  We serve now in a different way."  The priest gestured to a nearby booth, one that had no colorful decorations.  Behind the counter stood another man in priestly robes.  "Where would be the balance if we simply gave, and the people of Nerima simply took?  No, the only blessing wishes we placed were those that were there at the very beginning."

                "The festival-goers fill the gaps themselves, right?" Kaede asked.  "I saw somebody do that, a few minutes ago."

                "Yes.  Those who have been heavily favored in some way over the last year may give back of their good fortune, by having a ward made for their particular blessing.  They then place it on a pole, that another might share in that which they have received."  The man made a sweeping gesture that indicated the whole of the festival.  "By now all the originals will be gone, all the wards you see will have been placed by others, people like yourselves, who wish to give back out of their overflow."

                "Hmmm.  That sounds pretty nice," Kaede said with a smile.  She glanced off into the distance, her gaze settling on the pole that other couple had visited.  Of course she couldn't pick out the particular ward that man had placed, but Kaede hoped it stood for newly-found love.

                She turned back and walked toward the post nearest her, wanting to inspect its contents more closely.  Dutifully, but a little reluctantly--the ward-covered timbers still bothered him, for some reason--Ranma followed.

                Kaede stopped next to the pillar and began to inspect the various wards.  After a minute she turned away, blinking in surprise.  "Wait a minute… how come almost all of these say the same thing?  'Interesting times'?  What kind of a blessing is that?!"

                "A very common one in Nerima," the man replied solemnly.  "You're new here, aren't you."

                The light dawned for Ranma.  "Heh.  No wonder these things are givin' me the creeps.  C'mon, Kaede, let's check out something else."

***************

                The two of them walked through the festival for a time, making idle conversation and enjoying the different attractions.  They worked their way up to the intersection of the two main lanes, made a right-angle turn, and started down another branch of the 'X' that formed the length and breadth of the festival grounds.  They found that the booths on this one were predominately games of skill and chance.

                Kaede wasted several hundred yen, trying to land a ten yen coin in a spinning teacup.  When Ranma managed to get one in on his first try, she gave him a long silent stare, then challenged him to do it again.  Six hundred yen later, she dragged him out of the booth, him still protesting that he'd get it in just one more attempt, her shaking her head with an ironic smile on her face.

                A few paces farther on, Ranma saw his chance for redemption.  "That's more like it," he said, leading Kaede over to another booth and slapping down one hundred yen before she could protest.  She just rolled her eyes as the operator handed her fiancé three short-bladed sai of even worse quality than the ones she'd used in her fight with him.

                Needless to say, Ranma's confidence took a bit of a downturn on realizing just how poorly balanced the 'weapons' were, but he gave it his best try anyway.  His first throw *thunked* into the plywood wall at the rear of the booth, only six inches to the right of one painted target.  He overcorrected on the next attempt, and the sai bounced off the wall, seven inches to the target's left.  With grim determination, Ranma reached down to pick up his final dagger.

                Kaede stopped him, though, placing her hand on top of his and addressing the man who worked the booth.  "You said the rules are he needs to throw a sai and land it in one of those painted targets to win, right?"

                "Right.  But ya have ta get the blade stuck in the wood.  It don't count if the handle just bounces off."

                "Okay."  With her free hand, Kaede offered her date a different sai, one that was anything but dull and poorly-balanced.  "Try this one, Ranma."

                Before the gamesmaster could protest, Ranma grinned, grabbed Kaede's offering, and threw it.  It sailed straight and true, burying itself squarely in the target he'd been aiming for.  The Saotome heir gave a cocky grin, then did a double-take, turning back to face the board and blinking in surprise, as he realized that in his haste he'd made this throw with his left hand.  '_Dang, I'm good._'

                The operator rolled his eyes and sighed theatrically, but retrieved the sai, returned it to Ranma, and handed him a prize.  Ranma and Kaede strolled along again, arguing playfully about which one of them really deserved the Ruroni Kenshin poster he'd just acquired.

                '_This is nice,' Kaede thought a few minutes later, after an easy silence had fallen between them.  '_Like I hoped it would be.  I was afraid it would be awkward... but it's not.  It's been fun, and... comfortable._'_

                Another thought attempted to push itself forward from the back of her mind, a recollection that had tried to arise a few times previously this evening.  As she had then, Kaede pushed it back, more forcefully than ever.  Tonight was her night... hers and her fiancé's...

                That thought succeeded in burying the other one... but it also threatened to destroy the equilibrium she'd managed to attain at the beginning of the date.  She found herself thinking back to that beginning, when Ranma's arm had gone around her and he'd gently set her back on her feet... with some effort, she forced her thoughts away from that memory, only to find them settling on the moment at the previous booth, when she'd trapped Ranma's hand under her own...

                In a last-ditch attempt to distract herself from the distracting memories, Kaede said, "Y- yen for your thoughts, Ranma?"

                Ranma blinked, started, turned to face her, and Kaede realized that she'd roused him from a reverie of his own.  "Sorry, Kaede.  What'd you say?"

                "Just wondering what you were thinking about, that's all."  Kaede watched as, on hearing her question, Ranma's eyes drifted back in the direction he'd been looking a few moments past.  Her own gaze shifted, seeking to see what had caught his attention.  As far as she could tell, he seemed to be looking at another game booth, one that required the participant to try and scoop goldfish out of bowls with a paper-filled straining hoop.

                "Oh, I was just remembering something," Ranma said absently.  "That booth over there reminded me of the night I finally mastered the Amaguriken."

                "Really?"  The answer puzzled Kaede, to say the least.  "Isn't that the speed training where you pull nuts out of a fire?  What does a game like that have to do with it?"

                Her companion snorted.  "That's a long story.  You sure you want to hear it?"

                "Mm-hm."  Kaede noticed a nearby unoccupied bench, and headed over to it, followed by her fiancé.

***************

                One long story later, Kaede gave a low whistle and shook her head.  "Okay, I've got a new person on the top of my 'don't get on her bad side' list."

                "That's prob'ly a good way to look at it," Ranma replied.  He pushed aside the lingering irritation caused by the memories of Cologne's opening gambit, and gave credit where it was due.  "She can be pretty helpful, when she wants to be.  The old lady ain't nearly as bad as someone else I know."  He grimaced, then said thankfully, "He ain't in town right now, though."

                For a moment Kaede hesitated, curious to explore this new topic.  But there was another desire in her, one that had awoken near the beginning of this conversation, and had only grown stronger as the minutes passed.  She reached into the interior pocket where she'd stored the chestnuts she had purchased earlier, bringing them out and setting them on her lap.  "Hey... Ranma?"

                Ranma turned back to face Kaede, surprised at the hesitant tone in which she'd spoken.  "Huh?  Something wrong?"

                "No, nothing's wrong... not exactly... actually," Kaede indicated the package in her lap, "I was wondering if maybe we could go someplace a little quieter, and build a fire there, and then you could show me this move?"

                "I guess," Ranma said, not particularly dismayed at the thought of leaving before they'd fully explored the festival.  Usually when he came to one of these things, something supernatural and annoying would end up happening, like a ghost getting released from a scribble drawing.  "Why'd you want to see it, though?"  A rather stupid question to ask a fellow martial artist as dedicated as his latest fiancée, he realized a bit too late.

                Kaede bit her lip, as Ranma's question unwittingly opened a floodgate in her mind.  The memories she'd successfully choked back so far this evening would no longer be denied.  In an instant, her thoughts flew back a day and half, to a morning of sunlight and sudden peril...

***************

                "Listen, Shampoo, I've got somewhere I have to be.  I don't really have time to talk to you right now."

                "Is fine," Shampoo retorted, not slowing her approach.  "You no have to talk.  Just listen, and nod head at right moments."

                "Hey... I said, I don't..." Kaede's mouth snapped shut, forming into a grim line.  She hadn't even been aware that she was backing away, but suddenly she realized that the Amazon was now between her and the bench with her kimono.  Her spine stiffened, and she growled back, "Fine.  Say whatever you came to say, and then go away."

                "I have hear you make Ranma take you on date tomorrow.  Is so?"  Shampoo stopped her advance, just short of getting into Kaede's personal space.

                "I didn't _make_ anybody do anything.  But yes, we are going out tomorrow evening."

                Shampoo shook her head.  "No.  You are not."  Seeing the Japanese girl's mounting anger, she put on a mocking expression and asked, "What?  You have problem?"

                "Damn straight!" Kaede shouted.  "You've got a lot of nerve, trying to just... _command _me like that!"

                The Amazon's eyes narrowed, and her expression shifted again, becoming a hard, dangerous smile.  "Yes.  Shampoo do.  What about you?  Is you ready to fight for chance at Ranma?  I not think you strong enough for that.  You maybe surprise me, obstacle girl?"

                "I have a name, you know.  It's Kaede!  And I've got news for you, _Amazon.  What Ranma and I do is between him and me.  You don't have any right to stick your nose in our business.  So screw you and screw your demands.  The day I let you make my decisions for me is the day I lie down and DIE!"_

                "You talk big," Shampoo said coolly, unimpressed by Kaede's vehemence.  "But Shampoo think that all you do.  Anyway, this is just taste of own medicine.  You challenged me before, over matter of who is best choice for Ranma.  Is your turn to get that back now, but since that question was settled, this for smaller stakes.  Shampoo challenge you.  You lose, you forget about go to festival with my Airen."

                It was on the tip of her tongue to demand to know what Shampoo was offering as her own stake, if the Amazon should lose... but since it wouldn't make any difference, Kaede choked the impulse back, and just said curtly, "No."

                Shampoo's eyes narrowed dangerously.  "No?  Just like that?  You walk away from honor challenge?"

                "That's right," Kaede said, gathering a fair measure of courage and pushing past the other girl, walking toward the bench to retrieve her kimono.

                Shampoo let one bonbori fall to the street.  With her now-free hand, she reached out and grabbed Kaede's shoulder, only just resisting the temptation to grip hard enough to do damage, and spun the Japanese girl back to face her.  "Is bad enough when Shampoo get here she find another girl after own husband," she hissed.  "Is worse when spatula girl showed up and joined the race.  And is worse still that when she finally quit, a new girl join in.  And now you?!  Have news for you.  Worthless coward like you not have no chance anyway make good man like Ranma happy!!"

                Kaede's right hand shot up, striking Shampoo's wrist, breaking the Amazon's grip, and knocking her hand away.  "Are you _quite finished?" she rasped, fighting a very real urge to whip out the sai that had recently replaced one tonfa, and do her damnedest to cut Shampoo's own lavender mane a lot shorter.  If the Amazons thought that was the correct response to a woman who acted dishonorably, then let one of their own suffer appropriately for her actions.  "So you think I'm a worthless coward, huh?  You want to know what _I_ think __you are?"_

                "What that?" Shampoo growled.

                Although a tiny voice of caution at the back of her mind whispered that this was a bad idea, Kaede stepped forward, getting right into Shampoo's face.  "A pitiful little _bully."  She spat the word.  "You think because you're stronger than me, it gives you the right to tell me what to do?  Is _that_ an Amazon's idea of honor?!"_

                "Amazon's idea of honor is to fight for what is yours, what is important to you.  And to never back down from challenge!"

                "So you'd just throw Ranma away, if someone as much stronger than you as you are than me challenged you, and said you had to give him up if you lost?!"

                "Of course not!" Shampoo shouted, a little too caught up in the moment to think her answer through.

                "Then where the HELL do you get off calling me a coward for doing the EXACT SAME THING you'd do?!"

                "Is not same thing," the Amazon growled defensively.  She forced herself to calm down, so that she could find the right words to explain.  "I love Ranma, but is not just matter of heart.  We is married by Amazon law.  So if someone make that challenge, Shampoo would fight, never back down... but even if lose, it not change anything.  Is not something Shampoo can offer."

                "Well, I guess that makes me more honest than you, huh?" Kaede asked relentlessly.  "You'd lose, and turn around and say you couldn't pay up on the stakes.  I'm saying up front that I'm not going to let you tell me what to do with--or without--Ranma Saotome."

                "Fine."  Shampoo gave a hard smile as she spotted an opening.  "Challenge you then just to regular match.  No stakes."  For all the other girl's talk, she would bet her bonbori that Kaede would still find some way to squirm out of it.

                Kaede snorted.  "Except after you've beaten me to a bloody pulp, well, that'd pretty much take care of me going with Ranma to the festival this week, huh?  Forget it."

                "As Shampoo said before.  Coward."

                The girl so addressed just shrugged, and said bitterly, "Fine.  Say whatever you want.  I've been called plenty of ugly things in my life, though I will admit it's usually been a guy whose butt I've kicked, not someone who could kick mine.  First time anyone ever called me a coward, but I guess there's a first time for a lot of things.

                "But..." her eyes narrowed, and she glared at Shampoo as fiercely as she could, "one thing nobody will EVER call me is a killer."

                The lavender-haired girl blinked at the apparent non sequitur.  "What that supposed to mean?"

                "Can't you figure it out, _Amazon_?!"  Kaede poured a great deal of irony into the epithet.  "Forgetting your own tribal laws?  If I _do fight you, and I win, I get someone out for my blood!  What the hell kind of incentive is THAT for me to get in a fight with you?!  If I won, I'd have to kill you just to keep you from doing it to me first!"_

                "That is just excuse too," Shampoo said remorselessly.  "Or you would ask if could have challenge match where Kiss of Death not apply."

                Kaede blinked, feeling the first faint waves of doubt beginning to erode her moral high ground.  "That's possible?"

                Shampoo nodded curtly.  

                "Ranma didn't say anything about that."

                Shampoo just snorted.

                "What's the catch?"

                "What you mean, what's the catch?" Shampoo asked.  "Is simple.  You ask, Shampoo agree, we can have match where Kiss of Death not apply no matter who win."

                "Then you're on, Shampoo," Kaede said grimly.  "Give me a chance to get stronger, and with those terms I'll give you that match.  Just as soon as I think I've got a chance at winning it."

                Shampoo sniffed.  "Ranma never hesitate to take on stronger fighter than him.  If you want to be with him, should be willing to do same.  Is best way to get better."

                "Yeah, I'm so sure," Kaede said disdainfully.  "Let's see, our fight lasted... thirty seconds?  Twenty?  And I couldn't do any serious training for a couple of days afterward, while I was recovering.  How exactly did that help make me BETTER?"

                The Amazon made a disgruntled sound.  "Fine, just tell Shampoo when you think you ready to provide challenge to me."

                "I'll do that."  Kaede pinned Shampoo's eyes with a piercing stare.  "And Shampoo?  I want you to understand something.  I don't care how long it takes.  I don't care how much it hurts.  I WILL eventually take you down, and pay you back in full for today.  Calling me a coward when YOU were the one hiding behind your tribal laws."

                "I not hide behind nothing," Shampoo said quietly, convinced now of the other girl's sincerity, and despite herself feeling the beginning of respect.  "If you see laws standing between you and me, is because you put them there own self.  Shampoo never hide."

***************

                With an effort, Kaede pushed the memories away again.  "Why else, Ranma?  I want... I NEED to learn how to do it myself.  But something like that... well, you know what they say.  Seeing is believing.  I think I need to see the move done before I can really be confident in trying to train for it."

                "I'm pretty sure you can learn it," Ranma assured her.  "Fast as you were in our fight?  No problem.  In fact..." he frowned thoughtfully, "you actually _were _moving that fast, after you broke through my Moko Takabisha."

                "You mean that chi burst?  Well, yeah, but that was using power I'd leeched out of your attack.  I want to be able to learn this Chestnut Fist under my own strength."

                "Okay, yeah, I'll be glad to show you."  Ranma grinned.  "But you've got to teach me that trick of yours, too."  Wouldn't THAT be a nice surprise for Ryoga, the next time the lost boy tried to nail him with a Shi Shi Hokodan.

                "I'll show you mine if you show me yours?" Kaede asked, in that single moment greatly daring, one eyebrow arched and trying not to blush.  "Sounds good to me.  But you'll have to wait for your demonstration; I can't do something like that wearing this kimono."

                "Good point," Ranma said, rising from the bench.  Kaede followed suit.  The lane on which they now stood extended only a little ways past the last booth of the festival before ending in another road, one which crossed it at a ninety-degree angle.  On the far side of that road, clearly visible from the pair's current position, was one of Nerima's ubiquitous parks.  

                There was a pile of scrap lumber, left over from the construction of the booths, stacked neatly in a pile near the gate that marked the edge of the festival.  Ranma gathered up as large an armload as he could carry and headed casually out into the open spaces beyond.  Kaede moved to follow, then paused, and, almost as an afterthought, stopped at a booth, threw three rings that successfully landed over bottle necks, and selected a Lina Inverse cigarette lighter as her prize.

                She hurried after Ranma as best she could, finding him a few twists and turns into the park.  He had piled the wood on a patch of bare ground next to a long, rough slab of stone, and was now regarding it thoughtfully, as if trying to figure out just _how he was going to start a fire.  Before he could quite psyche himself up to attempting to channel extremely hot ki, Kaede coughed and handed him her newest acquisition, then carefully seated herself at one end of the rock slab._

                Shortly thereafter, a fire was blazing merrily.  Ranma regarded the flames with a critical eye; after a few minutes had passed, he asked for the chestnuts.  Wordlessly and with mounting anticipation, Kaede passed them to him.  Ranma turned to face the fire, knelt down, scattered the nuts into the flames, took a deep breath to center himself... and then, with a wild yell, he lashed out, his arms blurring as he snatched the nuts from the midst of the coals, too quickly to be burned.

                A long moment of silence fell, broken at last by Kaede's barely-whispered "Wow."  What struck her as perhaps the most amazing thing of all was that her fiancé was barely even breathing harder after his demonstration.  Once again, she was conscious of just how greatly he would be able to challenge her, how well he would be able to spur her on to reach new heights in the Art.

                Finding her voice, she said, "Thank you, Ranma.  That was really something."

                Ranma shrugged, managing a reasonable facsimile of modesty.  "No big deal  You always gotta be on the lookout to learn something new, right?"

                "Right," Kaede said, her eyes going distant again as his words sparked a fresh spate of memories.  "You can't afford to hold back, or someone else will eventually leave you in her dust..."

***************

                "Whatever," Ranma's newest fiancée said dismissively.  "But while we're on the subject, I've got something else to say about those laws."

                "Will warn you right now, if you insult Amazon heritage too bad, honor demand I fight you here and now," Shampoo said seriously.

                Kaede grimaced, and thought about just shutting up and walking away.  But after the way the encounter had gone so far, her spirits were running a little too high.  All of a sudden, it wasn't a question of _wanting to say this... she _needed_ to let out some more pressure, or she would burst._

                Later, when she had cooled off and had time to reflect, she would realize that what came next wasn't just about Shampoo.  For the last decade and more, she'd lived her life taking the knowledge of her eventual marriage to Ranma as a certainty.  Finding out at last that she was just the latest to join the fray had shaken her deeply, and had left her with a brooding, growing sense of discomfort and injustice.  Shampoo certainly wasn't the only girl Kaede had to contend with... but the Amazon was the only member of the competition whose claim she could attack without calling her own into question as well, and she was right here in front of her, and she had already made herself a convenient target of anger.

                Still, mindful of Shampoo's warning, and nowhere near willing to risk standing Ranma up in favor of a hospital visit, she moderated what she'd intended to say.

                "Fine.  From what I've heard so far, your laws about what happens when you get defeated by an outsider seem really screwed-up to me.  _Especially_ the guy's-your-new-husband one."

                "Hmmph.  Think so?  What is problem, exactly?"

                "What's the problem?!" Kaede yelped.  "What about the outsider's choice?  Do only Amazons count as far as Amazons are concerned?!"

                The lavender-haired girl frowned.  "Will answer question with question.  Where is Ranma's free choice in case with you?"

                "That's... that's different!" Kaede retorted.  "First of all, it was an agreement made by both our families.  It's not some _accident, it was a deliberate choice!  And it wasn't an instant marriage on the spot, it was a promise that we would marry, eventually!  And it could be dissolved honorably!"_

                "You not answer my question," Shampoo noted.  "By your way, Ranma's father say, 'Ranma, you do this,' he have to do.  Can argue or beg, but choice is father's.  By Amazon way, marriage is settled because of choice _Ranma _made, to fight Shampoo, and what _he _prove, by defeat me."

                "But it was still an accident," Kaede said.  "And your laws don't seem to care one bit about the honor ties he already had.  Promises that were made long before he ever even came to your village!"

                Shampoo snorted.  "So what if they were?  If man is already married when he defeat Amazon, that is different.  Law make provisions for that."  Specifically, the usual strict requirements for joining the tribe were waived for the preexisting wife, and, when she happened to be a warrior, the newlywed Amazon wasn't allowed to challenge her for First Wife status for at least two years.  "But not for silly tangle like this."

                "Silly tangle?  That's all this is to you?" Kaede asked, glaring.  "You just blow everyone off but yourself?  This isn't the forgotten lands of China, you know.  You're the outsider here, and you should have a LOT more respect for the customs of the land around you!"

                "Respect is earned, not given," Shampoo said with a sniff.  "So far as that go, by our ways Ranma became my husband in China.  You say that not count because we not there no more?"

                "No, I'm saying it doesn't count because HE never AGREED to it!  NOBODY ever agreed to it except Amazons!"

                "It is still our law," Shampoo said, in a tone of warning.  "You think you get away with go to other place and ignore laws you not like?  Break them because you no agree with them?  Is _that honor?!"_

                "It's not the same thing!" Kaede protested, squashing an unpleasant little voice in the back of her mind that wanted to know just HOW it differed.  "Did he know about what he was getting himself into?  Huh?!  Did you warn him ahead of time, 'Hey, this isn't just some casual match you've got going here, buddy'?"

                The Amazon shook her head.  "No.  Nobody did."  A serious failing on the Jusenkyo guide's part, too.

                "There you go then," Kaede said triumphantly.  Hurriedly, she turned to go, while she still felt confident that the upper hand was hers.  Blast it all anyway, she'd expected to steamroller over Shampoo with the righteousness of her arguments!  Not struggle like this for a moral victory that she doubted the purple-haired girl would even acknowledge.

                "You want to hear what did happen?" Shampoo asked, the edge in her voice cutting Kaede's retreat short.  Reluctantly, the Japanese girl turned back to face her.  She elaborated, "Was day of tournament what happen once a year.  Was competition among all Amazon warriors what not have family yet.  Long day of hard fighting, come down to one last match."

                The force of her gaze pinned Kaede, held her motionless, as Shampoo continued.  "Was Shampoo against one other woman, one several year older than me.  Not so skilled, but stronger."  Kaede blanched at the thought of someone much stronger than Shampoo.  "Fight take place on big log held up in air at both ends.  First to fall or be knock off is loser.  Shampoo knock opponent off, win last fight, become Champion of Amazons.  Is very good honor.

                "And then, I turn, and see table what hold victory feast for first prize.  At table is red-haired foreign girl and big panda, eating my food.  Shampoo tell girl what offense she give, and she just smile and say if she beat me, then is hers.  We have that fight, and Shampoo sure you already know Ranma win."

                Shampoo fell silent, looking at Kaede expectantly.  She seemed to think she'd made some sort of point, but for the life of her the Japanese girl couldn't quite grasp it.  "And...?" she prompted.

                "You not see?"  Shampoo snorted.  "I spell it out.  Ranma come to Amazon lands, to Amazon village, in middle of Amazon tradition of championship tournament."  Her gaze and her tone sharpened.  "When he do that and challenge for fight then, he bind self to the result.  That he not know law is no excuse; honor must say he agreed to hold to our ways when he made a challenge under them."  The edge of her tone would now put a razor to shame.  "Can you say honor say anything else, Kaede?"

                "I... I don't know...  I didn't know that was how it happened..." Kaede whispered, pale with dismay.  Now she wished she'd just gotten away earlier, when the getting had been good.  How had Shampoo managed to twist her own claim of honor from the weakest to the strongest?!  How could this girl with her broken Japanese manage to demolish Kaede's own arguments so thoroughly?!  "You must have put a lot of thought into this, Shampoo..."

                The Amazon in question smiled enigmatically, doing her best to ignore the small bead of sweat trickling down her forehead.  She certainly _had_ thought long and hard on the twists and turns of honor in this situation, and had had several discussions with the Matriarch, in the weeks and months that had followed a particular day.  Specifically, the day Nabiki had confronted her with similar charges and chewed her up and spit her out in the subsequent debate.  Using the Xi Fang Gao to wipe the memory of the debacle from the middle Tendo's mind had been the only thing that allowed Shampoo to escape with her pride even partially intact.

                Meanwhile, Kaede was struggling to recover her equanimity.  At first she thought to protest that Ranma had been a girl at the time... but since that would mean she was saying Shampoo _ought_ to have tracked down and killed Kaede's fiancé, that option was quickly discarded.  Finally she regained a bit of poise as she reminded herself of the preexisting nature of her own claim.  "But dammit, it's not that simple!"

                "Is maybe not simple," Shampoo allowed.  However, there was no way she was going to bring up the Amazon provisions for multiple wives at a time like this.  "Is more simple than you think, though."

                "And what's that supposed to mean?"

                Shampoo considered how to answer.  At last, she just slowly shook her head.  Judging from something the Japanese girl had said earlier, Shampoo didn't think Kaede had really realized yet just what sort of man Genma was.  When Kaede had seen that for herself, Shampoo would be willing to point out that Ranma's father's lack of honor and sincerity rendered any honor-promises made with him null and void.  But until then, she would content herself by saying, "Is not Shampoo who should explain that.  Will just say this, that there is many things you not have see yet going on here.  Important things."

                When Kaede looked ready to protest this, Shampoo shook her head more forcefully.  "Take this from Shampoo.  I have go through same thing.  When first get here, is some very important things I not understand."

***************

                This time, pushing the memories away again came harder.  Kaede choked them back, though, having no desire whatsoever to recall the ending of the previous day's encounter.  The visions of the past cleared away from her eyes, to be replaced by the sight of Ranma seated on the other end of the rock, snacking on the freshly-roasted chestnuts.  "Hey!" she protested.  "Save some of those for me!"

                Ranma grinned unrepentantly and passed her half of the remaining nuts--less than a third of what had been in the original package.  "Here you go."

                Kaede gained a small measure of revenge by eating the chestnuts slowly, dragging the process out over the next five minutes.  She ignored Ranma, choosing instead to contemplate the fire and imagine herself training for the Amaguriken.

                After swallowing the last chestnut, Kaede turned back to face her companion.  "So if you were me, how would you start working to learn that move?"

                "Let's see..." Ranma mused.  "As fast as you are already, I'm sure you could grab some of the nuts out right now without getting burned.  So prob'ly the best thing to do is figure out just how many that is, and then work on getting just one more, and then one more after that, and pretty soon you'll be doing a full Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken."

                "Sounds good to me.  Thanks, Ranma."

                "No big deal," he said with a shrug.

                "No... No, it is a big deal," Kaede said with sudden firmness.  "Not just that you showed me the move.  Not just that you're giving me pointers on how to train for it.  That's all nice, and... and I'm grateful.  But the biggest thing is that you're telling me you're sure I can do it."

                "Well, why wouldn't I?" her fiancé asked.  "What's it matter anyway?"

                "Gee, let me think," Kaede said, a bit acerbically.  "Let's see... how many fights have I won since coming to this town?  Oh, yeah, the big double-o.  None.  Not-a-one."  She sighed.  "Damn, but I NEVER expected to find competition on this level with people my own age.  Hearing you talk like you're all confident in me... well, considering that you're the best around here, that means a lot.  Thanks."

                "Oh.  Okay," Ranma replied.

                "Something wrong?" Kaede queried, puzzled at the tone he'd used.

                "Um... it's just..."  He fell silent, thinking about what he wanted to say.  When he'd marshaled his thoughts, Ranma continued, "Let me show you something, Kaede."

                He got to his feet and moved a few steps away, orienting himself along a wide open space with no trees anywhere nearby.  Ranma drew on his confidence, focused his chi, and launched a Moko Takabisha.  It sped off into the night, leaving a swiftly-fading trail of dimly glowing light.

                "I saw that already," Kaede pointed out.  "In our fight, remember?"

                "Yeah, but do you know how I did it?"

                She shook her head.  "Not really.  My chi training was how to break and absorb someone else's flashy draining attacks, not how to do my own."

                "It uses emotions," Ranma said, ignoring the slight against his technique.  "Real strong emotions.  One of my rivals found out how to do this move called the Shi Shi Hokodan, which is basically where you get really depressed, and use that to focus a ball of heavy chi, and shoot it away from you.  I had to learn it too to keep up with him."

                "You didn't _look_ depressed," Kaede said with a frown.  "And that doesn't sound like a very healthy method to use, anyway."

                "Which is why I modified it," Ranma said proudly.  "That was a Moko Takabisha, not a Shi Shi Hokodan.  I use confidence instead of depression."

                His fiancée blinked.  "You're really that confident?"

                "Yeah.  If it's got martial arts in it, I can do it.  I can learn any technique, or figure out how to counter it.  I can beat anybody, eventually."  Ranma's eyes met Kaede's in a stare of challenge.  "That's how I can fire off a Moko Takabisha, cause I KNOW all that stuff is true.  I don't need anybody to tell it to me.  Which is a good thing too, cause most of the guys who challenge me just rag on me and try to drag me down.

                "So listen, Kaede.  I'm glad I helped you feel better, but you need to know this for yourself.  You need to understand your own strengths an' weaknesses, and be determined to keep on pushing yourself.  That's what being a real martial artist is all about.  If you don't, if you give up just cause you find someone who's a lot better than you... well, in my book that means you were just pretending," Ranma finished, vaguely surprised at his own eloquence.  

                Kaede took a deep breath.  His words had sparked feelings of anger within her... but it had been an anger directed at herself, rather than Ranma.  "You know what?  You're absolutely right.  Normally that's exactly how I AM.  But I got knocked... I LET myself get knocked off-balance by all the shocks I've had recently, and I guess it slipped away for a little while."  She clenched one fist, as a battle aura sprang up around her.  "No more, though.  No backing down, no doubting myself, no holding back!  I'm going to FIGHT for what's mine!!"

                "That's the spirit!" Ranma cheered her on.  "Just remember not to fight Shampoo."

                "Huh?!" she protested, deflating noticeably at his words.  "Why the heck not?!"

                "Kiss of Death, remember?" he chided her.

                "Oh, that," Kaede brushed off the objection.  "She told me that if both of us agree beforehand, it won't apply to the fight."

                "Huh."  Ranma sat down and blinked for a while, eventually muttering, "Man, one of these days I really need to find out some more about those crazy laws of theirs."  Preferably before another of them snuck up on him from behind.

                Meanwhile, Kaede had turned back to stare into the fire again.  It was dying down now, with the majority of what light was still shed coming from glowing coals rather than leaping flames.  "It's getting kind of late," she said after a few moments of contemplative quiet.  "You want to call it a night?"

                "Okay, sounds good."  Ranma stood up.  Kaede did so as well, with a bit of difficulty... she'd forgotten how confining this kimono was during the time she'd been sitting down.

                "Um... Ranma?  Will you walk with me until I can catch a taxi?" she asked.  Considering how far they were from a main road, coupled with her forced slow pace, this would likely take at least another quarter-hour.  However, he indicated that he didn't mind, and the two set out again.  They were silent for the moment, each attending to his or her  own thoughts.

                The swiftly-approaching end of the evening had reminded Ranma of something that he'd managed to forget for most of it... namely, that he was in fact on a bona fide date.  He tried to choke back a sudden feeling of trepidation.  There hadn't been any trouble so far, which _could_ mean that fate was saving it all for the very end (as had happened so recently in his date with Shampoo).  Ranma tried to shrug that pessimistic thought aside, though... after all, it was pretty late in the evening now.  Chances of anyone else interfering, as had happened with Mousse and Kaori, should be much lower in this case.  '_Heck,' he thought, '__in that getup she can't even grab me and kiss me like Shampoo did.'_

                After a few minutes of silence, Kaede spoke up tentatively.  "Ranma?  Did... did you have a good time tonight?"

                "Yeah, I did," he answered, a little wary of where this might be going, but remaining honest at least for now.

                "I'm glad."  Kaede looked away from him, casting her eyes down to the pavement a few steps in front of her.  "I was worried..."

                He made a noise that was intended to be noncommittal.  Kaede took it for encouragement.  "I mean, I told you already that I'd never been on a date before.  I know you've got a lot more experience than I do in things like this.  I... I didn't really know what to do... I mean, I may have said earlier that I like to go fast, but I was just talking about moving around, you know?  Not like... what you thought I meant... I don't even really know where to start...  I hope that's okay..."

                They were at least fifteen feet away from the nearest light source, but even in the dimness Ranma could make out Kaede's blush.  "It's no problem," he said slowly.  "Some of the other girls come on pretty strong."  Well, really just Shampoo, now, and Ranma hoped to keep it that way.  "I don't like it, to tell ya the truth.  Tonight was much better than that."

                "Really?" Kaede asked.  She thought she had heard the sincerity in his voice, but wanted some more reassurance.  He nodded as firmly as he could manage.  She gave him a relieved smile, and said, "So I should just take it slow and easy, and I'll be okay?"

                "Something like that," Ranma said.

                "All right."  Kaede smiled at him.  "I'll do my best not to make the same mistakes as my competition."

                Even as the words left her mouth her smile dimmed.  The remaining memories of her confrontation with Shampoo would no longer be denied...

***************

                "And you're telling me this... why, exactly?" Kaede inquired.

                "Is warning to you to keep eyes open," Shampoo responded.  "If Shampoo had done that, might not have made some early mistakes."  She particularly wished she hadn't left Nerima that first time and run back to her village in defeat.  Getting cursed as punishment had been very hard, first and foremost by the curse itself, second in that that had been how she had learned the truth of Jusenkyo and her husband's gender, and finally on discovering just how poorly her alternate form meshed with Ranma's ailurophobia.  "Not really want to see you have such hard time too."

                "Is that right.  You're looking out for me," Kaede returned, unable to keep the skepticism out of her voice.  "You know, it wasn't all that long ago that you were calling me worthless, Shampoo."

                The Amazon inclined her head.  "Was actually 'worthless coward' what Shampoo say.  And I was wrong."

                "Glad to hear you admit it," Kaede said tonelessly.  A bit of an edge entered into her voice, and she continued, "I'm still going to pay you back for this morning.  Don't think that excuse for an apology is going to change that."

                Shampoo blinked... and then disconcerted Kaede to no end, by laughing right out loud.  Not a scornful or mocking laugh either, but one of surprise and honest mirth.  "No worry, Kaede, that is LAST thing Shampoo would want," she assured the other girl, a smile still on her lips.

                "Um... what do you mean by that?"

                "Have been here in Japan for nearly a year now," Shampoo said.  "In all that time, you is first person to be so ready to fight me.  Nobody but you ever even find out that is possible to have match without Kiss of Death."

                Kaede frowned.  "None of the rest of them even stood up to you at all?!"

                "That not what Shampoo say," the Amazon amended.  "Have been battles, but they break out when Ranma is involved.  Never anyone fight me for their own sake."  Except Akane when she was empowered by the Super Soba noodles, which hardly counted as an honorable challenge match.  "Is always Ranma who gets the strong, determined enemies.  He have many challenges to keep him on toes, to catch him with new tricks and force him keep learning.  Shampoo want some of that too, but never really get it."

                "Well, you've got it now," Kaede said, radiating determination.  "Hope you don't live to regret those words."

                "Shampoo will not," the Amazon assured her.  "You work hard, make self good challenge for me, okay?"

                "Don't worry, I will... DAMMIT!" Kaede suddenly burst out, no longer able to keep up the appearance of grim determination.  This whole situation was just too bizarre.  If Shampoo had blown her off, that would be one thing, but this...?  "When I tell you I'm going to train to beat you silly, you're not supposed to be HAPPY about it!"

                Shampoo rolled her eyes.  "Any Amazon worth the name would be same in my place.  I spend sixteen years surrounded by Amazon sisters, always ready for fight, understand me and think like I do, then all of sudden come here and live here with nobody else around who can be like that to me.  Is hard."  She gave Kaede a challenging stare.  "You not so skilled or so strong as Shampoo, but you better than some of Amazons back home."  She had seen that for sure when she happened to witness Kaede's battle with Kaori.  "And most important thing anyway is heart.  Shampoo think now that you have that too.

                "So show Shampoo she not wrong, okay?  Go train hard, make self into good challenge for me."  Shampoo brightened further as a new thought struck her.  "If you get strong enough, can press me hard enough, Great-Grandmother would have to cut back on my hours at restaurant for more training.  Shampoo would be really grateful for that!"

                "This has been one mixed-up morning," Kaede said to the heavens.  She could literally _feel_ her newfound fiery determination to best Shampoo trickling out of her, leaving her with the same uneasy feelings of inadequacy that she'd been fighting ever since her initial loss to the Amazon.  The sensation sucked, as far as Kaede was concerned.

Lowering her eyes again to face Shampoo, she said, "Okay, maybe what you said makes a little sense.  But I still can't believe you can change that quickly.  Encouraging me to do my best?!  Asking me for a favor?!  You're acting like we're friends all of a sudden!"

                The smile drained from Shampoo's face.  Quietly, she answered, "No, I not go so far as that.  Will be honest.  Would like it--I think now you would make good friend.  Would maybe even make good Amazon sister.  But so long as you is after my husband, I not think we can be friends.  Not really.  And is shame, too."

***************

                '_Maybe Shampoo was right,' Kaede thought.  '__Maybe it is a shame.'  It might have been nice to get to know some other girls who were as serious as she was about the Art.  Surely there was some sort of cosmic irony in that when she had finally settled down from her long journey, she immediately met a couple... only to have any possibility of camaraderie destroyed by the fact that both of them regarded her fiancé as rightfully theirs._

                But if that was the price for Ranma, Kaede thought determinedly, then so be it.  She would cheerfully cut out Shampoo and Kaori and Akane and ANYONE; with a smile on her face she would leave them in her dust cursing her name.  Ranma was worth it.

                They walked in silence for a few more minutes, eventually turning a corner and coming within sight of a busy street with a couple of vacant taxis standing ready.  "There you go, Kaede," Ranma said.

                "Yeah."  And so her first date ever drew to a close, Kaede mused.  Inexperienced though she was, she HAD heard that you were supposed to end a date with a goodnight kiss.  Well and good, but there was no way in heaven or earth that she was ready for that, and given what Ranma had said earlier, she didn't think he was either.

                Still, it would be nice to end the evening in some special way... she didn't feel ready for romance, but maybe she could handle honesty...

                Kaede took a deep breath.  "Hey, Ranma... before we call it a night... I just wanted to say something."  Without pausing, afraid her courage would run out, she continued, "I know it's not the same thing for you, but I grew up knowing there was someone out there for me.  I thought about you for years, wondered what you were like.  And... and I just wanted you to know... I'm not disappointed at all."

                She turned, and  hurried toward the nearest cab, moving at the best speed her kimono would allow.  Ranma stood and silently watched her go, until she had entered the taxi and it had carried her out of sight.  Then he turned, and began slowly walking back toward the Tendo household.  No-one attacked him.  His Jusenkyo curse didn't get activated.  In fact, nothing happened at all.  Strange as it seemed, for the first time in his life a date had come to completion without any trouble interfering.

                Ranma thought about this, and told himself he should be happy.  But he couldn't help but think back to the last moment of eye-contact he'd had with Kaede, and remember the light that had been shining in her gaze, and feel as if one more chain had been added to the burden he already bore.

***************

                The tower swayed back and forth, ever so slightly, creaking and groaning in tones so low that he shouldn't have been able to hear them.  The air was anything but calm this time; the wind roared and howled, even as it had in the night after his last fight with Tatewaki.  However, the gusts seemed to split around Ranma's perch, whirling to either side of the tower, while leaving a dead calm in the air immediately around him.

                Beneath him he could feel the grasping, clutching reach of the earth.  Its pull couldn't reach him, not here, not now... but with all the unreasoning certainty that dreams may hold, Ranma _knew_ that the invisible chains were there, yearning to grasp him and tie him down more thoroughly than ever before.

                However, somehow, the sky above him didn't seem quite so welcoming tonight.  It was littered with ragged scraps of clouds, streaming and shredding and reforming in the wind.  It seemed to Ranma as if they were trying to knit together into a coherent whole, a blanket to lie atop him and pin him down.  There was no moon, but an apparently-sourceless light illuminated the cloud fragments all the same.  Somehow this added to the sense of oppression.

                He stood there at the pinnacle of the Tokyo Tower, between earth and air, and for the first time in these dreams couldn't decide what he wanted to happen next.

                In some cases, waiting for things to get better is the best choice.

                The first change came as the mysterious glow began to fade from the clouds.  They dimmed, darkened, became all but invisible.  And then, as if some measure of strength had been taken away, they abandoned the fight to rejoin and cover the sky.  The cumulal kaleidoscope whirled away to nothingness, leaving empty, soothing darkness.  Simultaneously, the city lights below him faded, followed by the intense awareness of the earth's thwarted grasp diminishing and disappearing as well.

                Ranma took a deep, pleased breath.  Slowly he turned in a circle, taking in the whole of the night in one slow glance.  By the time he'd completed his rotation, the view had changed once again.

                As before, a different sort of cloud hung in the air before him, a roiling shroud of absolute blackness.  In some indescribable way, the sight of it was as comforting as the earlier, more distant clouds had been unpleasant.

                But then again, that might just have been because Ranma expected this meant he'd be receiving his wings in another minute.

                "So--"  Only the first word of his question, "So what's up with all this, anyway?" was allowed to escape.  As it did, everything convulsed, seeming as if to rotate, tremble, and turn inside-out all at once.  Just for a second, Ranma caught a glimpse of the ceiling under which he slept...

                The world stabilized, sinking back into the darkened dreamscape.  A definite sense of reproach emanated forth from the twisting veil of shadow.

                ~_I told you before, Ranma.  This isn't the time for questions._~

                "Okay, okay, I got it," Ranma grumbled, upset at the close shave.  However, Saotome adaptability (not to mention stubbornness) prompted him to add, "I'd sure like to know what all this is about, though."  That wasn't a question, so he couldn't get busted for it, right?

                Amusement now, tinged with something he barely noticed, and couldn't identify.  ~_It's about a gift, Ranma.  A free gift, no strings attached except one--each time you question it, you'll lose it._~

                "Heh," Ranma said, pushing aside feelings of frustration with his own recalcitrant subconscious mind.  "Ranma Saotome doesn't lose.  So let's hit the sky."

                ~_I thought you'd never ask._~  Definite amusement there, although Ranma himself just groaned at the pun.  He dropped the pained pose quickly, however, as the wings coalesced behind him again.

                He leaped, stretching out, slipping into the flow of air with the grace of a fish swimming like quicksilver through the racing waters of a stream.  The patch of darkness flew alongside him, for the first time that he could ever clearly remember.  Ranma paid it little mind, caught up as he was in the renewed rush of freedom.  However, one corner of his mind did note that the wind seemed to be having an effect on the shape of his companion... whereas in still air the other remained in a large, amorphous, turbulent mass, here it had been streamlined out into a sort of negative comet, with a tail that stretched quite far back from an ovular head not much larger than Ranma himself.

                Not that it interested him one way or the other.  This was no time for distraction or analysis.  Ranma flew through the night, enjoying the gift as it was intended that he should:  without thought or concern.

                ~_Nothing lasts forever, Ranma._~  The words came after an uncertain length of time, and were communicated in a tone of quiet reassurance.  ~_Not even the rules, sometimes.  Just be patient... you'll know when things change._~

***************************************************************

to be continued...


	3. Night of Ghosts and Shadows

                Nocturne

                A Ranma ½ fanfic by Aondehafka

                Disclaimer: the Ranmaverse characters owned by Rumiko Takahashi, and all that obligatory stuff.  This story based on the anime, not the manga.

*********************************************************

                Chapter 3:  Night of Ghosts and Shadows

***************

                All day long Ranma had had the feeling he was forgetting something.  Not until the final bell had rung did he realize just why this was.

                The sight of Kaori, her usual oversized schoolbag at her feet, standing at the gates of Furinkan and looking expectantly toward him, provided the solution to his dilemma.  "Aw, man, that's right," he muttered under his breath, then raised his voice and called back, "Akane?  Did I forget to tell ya I had a study session with Kaori this afternoon?"

                He heard Akane sigh.  She had been several paces behind him, listening to her friend Yuka, and hadn't caught sight of Kaori until just now.  "Yes, you did.  I guess she's waiting for you?"

                "Yeah.  I'll see you later on today, okay?"  After hearing her acknowledgement, Ranma headed on over toward Kaori.  He noted in passing that Akane's tone hadn't sounded angry, something for which to be grateful.  Still, that wasn't enough to get him excited or happy or anything like it over the prospect of another session of extracurricular schoolwork.

                Apparently, Kaori sensed this.  After the two of them had walked a couple of blocks, exchanging desultory small talk, she came to a sudden stop.  "Ranma, is something wrong?"

                "Whaddaya mean?"

                "It just seems like you'd rather be somewhere else."

                "Well, yeah," Ranma admitted, puzzled as to just why she was asking this now.  She had to know the only reason he was going along with this was because he'd promised.  "C'mon, Kaori, you gotta know by now how bored I get with this stuff.  When have I EVER been enthusiastic about spending extra time studying?"

                "I know that, but this seems worse somehow."  Kaori favored him with a long, piercing stare.

                Ranma considered.  "I guess you're right," he agreed.  "Thing is, this is the first time we've ever gone straight from school to one of these meetings.  Every other time I'd get at least a couple hours' break before I had to hit the books again."

                "Hmm.  Well, if it makes you feel any better, think how bad this is for ME," Kaori retorted.  "I missed several days of school and had to play catch-up over the next week.  I've been swamped with all the work I missed.  So which one of us REALLY needs a break?"

                "Well, heck, if you feel the same way as me, why not do something else?" Ranma asked, seizing the opportunity.

                Kaori blinked in surprise, before a slow smile spread across her face.  "Maybe you're right," she allowed.  "What would you like to do?"

                "Huh?"  Caught off-guard by the ease of his escape from academic annoyance--he'd never expected her to agree so readily--Ranma found himself unprepared to answer her question.  "I don't know."

                His fiancée began walking again.  "Okay... what would you be doing if you'd gone back to the Tendo place for the afternoon?"

                "I'd be training," the Saotome heir replied as he caught up with her.

                Somehow, she wasn't surprised.  "Well then, why don't we do that?"

                "You serious?"  

                "Sure I am."  Kaori shrugged.  "Hey, you're the best challenge I can get around here.  Not to mention the ONLY person I could have a friendly fight with."

                Well, _that was sure true enough.  Ranma gave her a critical look.  "Still, a school uniform's not the best thing to wear for something like that."_

                "Right."  She turned, sprinted over to a nearby phone booth, entered it, and emerged a few minutes later wearing a slightly-wrinkled but still-presentable shorts-and-casual-shirt combo.

                "You do that often?" Ranma asked dubiously as she walked back to him.  Frosted-glass phone booths notwithstanding, he suspected she wouldn't keep it up once Happosai was back in town.

                "Usually just when I'm caught in the rain," the brunette replied.  "I started carrying a spare outfit after my first week here." 

***************

                "So what kind of training do you want to do?" Ranma thought to ask a few minutes later.  They were still heading in the general direction of Kaori's apartment, and it had occurred to him that unless she specifically wanted to practice fighting without much room to maneuver, they ought to change their direction.  The terrain along their current path was mainly a mixture of buildings, some large, some small, in a maze of twisting narrow streets.

                "Oh, I don't know," Kaori responded.  "I was going to let you decide.  What do you think I need to work on?"

                "Probably more solid hand-to-hand skills," Ranma decided.  "Anybody who depends on tools too much is outta luck if they get caught without them."

                Kaori nodded her head, though she did so a bit reluctantly.  Loyalty to her school's special attacks prompted her to say, "Okay, but it's not like I go out unprepared anymore."  Her lips quirked into an expression that was half grin, half grimace.  "You taught me that lesson yourself.  Nowadays I keep plenty of chopsticks, at the very least, on me."

                "Yeah, but what if you were at some place where you couldn't do that?  Like, at the ocean.  How many could you hide in a bikini, huh?"

                His fiancée gave him a dry look.  "I know the boy scout motto is 'be prepared', Ranma, but how many times have you seen beachside combat like that happen?"

                "Lessee..."  He thought back.  "Five, I think."

                The brunette blinked.  "Okayyy... unarmed practice it is, then."

                "Right.  Then we're going the wrong way."  Ranma turned to his left.  "C'mon, there's a vacant lot a few miles in this direction."  A quick leap took him three stories into the air, to the top of a nearby building.    He touched down only briefly, springing off again with an even stronger jump.  It wasn't a real substitute for the freedom of the dreams he'd been having recently, but it was still enough to get his blood racing.  With a grin on his face, Ranma shot through the air, bouncing from rooftop to rooftop.

                Five minutes later, Ranma-chan returned to her starting point, dropping from the sky with the typical Anything Goes disregard for the laws of inertia.  Instead of a grin, she now wore a frown, and not just because of the large puddle she had found waiting for her on one rooftop.  "Yo, Kaori.  I thought you were gonna come with me?"  Why the heck was her companion just standing there with her hair all toinged out?

                After gulping a few times, Kaori managed to work some moisture into her throat.  The delay also allowed her to recover at least a little self-possession.  "Ah... Ranma?"

                "Huh?"

                "HOW THE expletive deleted DID YOU JUST DO THAT?!"

                Ranma-chan gave her a bewildered look.  "You mean jump that high?" she hazarded a guess.

                "YES!!"

                The redhead shrugged.  "The Saotome school of Anything Goes focuses pretty heavily on midair techniques.  I've been able to jump like that for a couple of years now."  And she was all but certain that Ryoga, Shampoo, and Mousse could have duplicated her recent performance.  She sent another questioning look Kaori's way.  "What's the big deal, anyway?"

                The Martial Arts Takeout girl took another couple of deep breaths.  "If I took a running start, I could make the top of that building."  She pointed to a one-story cafe.  "I think I _might be able to do it from a standstill.  Maybe."_

                "So I did something you couldn't do.  I still don't see why that freaked you out so bad," Ranma-chan said.  Noting Kaori's sudden frosty glare, she continued, "I mean, I didn't do that when you froze me in our fight with whatever crazy technique that was."

                "I... I guess that's true," Kaori admitted, her glare melting into sheepishness.  "I suppose that technique would seem like magic to a normal person.  And if I can do something like that, why should I get so surprised when somebody else does something incredible?"  She shook her head wonderingly.  "But I have to admit, I never would have thought it was possible to make jumps like that."

                "So you just haven't had enough jumping practice," Ranma-chan concluded.  A devious grin spread across her face.  "Maybe we oughta work on that instead of hand-to-hand."

                "How?"

                Ranma-chan smacked her on the head, just hard enough to be annoying.  "TAG!  You're it!"  With a few running steps and what felt to her like a short hop, she bounced to the rooftop Kaori had indicated as being a doable challenge.  She turned back and gave a mocking wave before disappearing out of sight.

                "Why you..." Kaori growled, only somewhat playfully.  She was doing her best to remind herself that this redheaded girl was actually Ranma Saotome, the fiancé she had failed once before, and not the enemy she'd originally thought her.  Still, the sight of the girl had stirred her adrenaline enough that the leap to the rooftop came rather more easily than it might have.

                On landing she was greeted by another flash of red, as Ranma-chan darted across an adjacent rooftop on the same level as Kaori's current position.  Reaching the edge, the Saotome heir leaped again, ending up on a new building one story higher, then turned back and stuck her tongue out at Kaori.  With another growl, the Daikoku daughter raced after her.

***************

                They were very high up now.  The sun was warm, but the breeze was cool.  Ranma-chan had a soft smile on her face as she looked out at the cityscape sprawled out below her.  She had led Kaori on a madcap dash, going ever higher one level at a time, and had ended up some twenty-odd stories in the air.  There were taller buildings than the one the two girls were on, but looking out from this side of the rooftop meant none of them blocked her view.  "Pretty nice scenery, huh, Kaori?  Worth the effort?"

                "*Gasp* *huff* *puff* *wheeze*," the brunette replied.

                "Guess we prob'ly oughta wait for you to get your strength back before we head down again."

                "*Pant* *gasp* *whimper* *huff*"

                "Or we could take the elevator," Ranma-chan said, taking pity on the other girl, and indicating a nearby door that should allow access into the building.

                "*Deep breath* *deep breath* *relieved sigh*"

                Ranma-chan fell silent and enjoyed the view.  Eventually Kaori's breathing evened out, and she was able to focus on the sight herself.  After what felt like quite a long time, she said quietly, "Absolutely."

                "Absolutely what?" Ranma-chan asked, turning her attention back to her companion.

                "It absolutely was worth the effort."  Kaori got to her feet, and stood in silence for a few moments more, letting the breeze blow through her hair.  "You know, if someone had told me this morning that in the afternoon I'd be standing on top of a building this tall... and that I'd have made it to the top by JUMPING from rooftop to rooftop... I'd never have thought it was possible.  I still can't believe I managed to do this."

                "Ain't that what the Art is all about, Kaori?" Ranma-chan asked seriously.  "Taking yourself to new heights?"

                Kaori rolled her eyes and smiled wryly.  "Yes.  It's just never been that literal for me before.  Thank you, Ranma.  Thanks for showing me I could do this."

                "No problem."

                Silence fell again for the next few minutes.  Ranma-chan had gotten her fill of the view from her current vantage point, and was now gazing off into another direction.  Off in the distance, she could just make out the upthrusting angle of the Tokyo Tower...

                "Hey, Ranma."

                With some effort, the redhead dragged her attention back to the here and now.   She turned, a questioning look on her face, just in time for her companion to say "Catch," and toss her a bundle of chopsticks.  Ranma-chan complied, reaching out easily enough to grasp the bundle... except that as she touched it the sticks seemed to lose whatever stickiness had held them together.  She fumbled the catch, securing a good grip on one at the expense of letting the rest slip from her grasp.

                Kaori suppressed the urge to boggle again, as her fiancé recovered from the slip, both hands blurring as she plucked the tumbling chopsticks from the air, reassembling them into a less-tidy bunch.  "What was that for?" Ranma-chan inquired once she'd straightened back up from snatching the last chopstick.

                "Just fairness, I thought," Kaori said.  "You showed me something new to work for today.  Wouldn't you like me to return the favor?"

                An excited grin spread across Ranma-chan's face.  The Saotome heir had always been at his (or her) quickest and brightest when facing something that had to do with the Art.  "You mean you're gonna teach me how to do that technique you used to freeze me in place?"

                "That's right," Kaori confirmed.  "Well, I mean, I'm going to teach you how to train for it.  It'll take you a long time to work up to that level."

                Ranma-chan smiled a secretive smile, inwardly resolving to have the move perfected by whatever time Kaori decided should be their next session.  With any luck, showing the Martial Arts Takeout girl how quickly Ranma had mastered this move should make her jealous enough to cancel the studying in favor of training again.

                Meanwhile, Kaori had continued speaking.  "The technique name is the Daikoku Secure Delivery.  To use it, you have to be able to both harness your chi and project it out from you."  She didn't even bother to inquire whether her fiancé _could_ do that, asking instead, "How good are you at that, Ranma?"

                With a flourish, Ranma-chan turned and fired a Moko Takabisha off into the wild blue yonder.  "How's that?"

                "Oh, that's right.  I already saw you could do that," the other girl said, remembering (with a good bit of guilt) back to the moment when Ranma-chan had severed the noodle-noose Kaori had been using to choke her.  "Um, actually, it might not be so good."

                "Huh?  Why not?!"

                "Because a chi blast like that is all about power, but in my technique power is a really distant second place.  The Daikoku Secure Delivery is all about control.  It might be harder for you to learn, if you're used to concentrating on something else."

                "Don't matter," Ranma-chan said resolutely.  "I'll learn it.  If it's got martial arts in it, I can do it."

                Kaori smiled at the other girl.  "Somehow, I don't doubt that."  She cleared her throat.  "Anyway.  Could you give me back the chopsticks?"  Ranma-chan complied.  Kaori straightened them back into a nice, neat, orderly stack.  "Training to use this technique..." she stopped herself.  "Oh, by the way, Ranma.  Promise me you won't teach it to anyone else.  It's a secret of the Daikoku family."

                "Sure," Ranma-chan agreed, not stopping to think about the implications of letting Kaori teach it to her on those terms, any more than she had when Cologne taught her the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken or Hiryu Shoten Ha.

                "Okay.  Well, anyway..." Kaori extended her hands before her, side-by-side with palms up.  The chopsticks lay across them, with her thumbs curled over them to hold them in their bundle.  "Basically, the idea of the technique is to extend your chi over whatever you're trying to immobilize."  She lifted her thumbs away from the chopsticks, then flicked them into the air with a snap of her wrists.  They remained in a coherent mass; she caught them and returned her hands to their previous configuration.  "The chi is still connected to you, though--that's another difference from your blast--and for something small like this, it's like it becomes a part of you temporarily too."  She withdrew her thumbs again, and furrowed her brow into a look of concentration.  Slowly the block of chopsticks rose, coming to rest standing vertically on her right palm.

                "That's how you make those Noodle Noose things work like that!" Ranma-chan exclaimed.

                "Pretty much," Kaori confirmed, letting the chopsticks fall.  "They really are the same fundamental principal, it's just applied in different ways.  Force the chi field to hold rigid--that's the Daikoku Secure Delivery.  Use the chi to control the noodles and strike with them like a whip--that's the Ramen Round-up Noodle Noose.  Doing that one is easier, especially since the noodles are flexible.  We think the broth may help to conduct the chi, too.

                "But getting back to the whole 'freeze your enemy in her tracks thing'... I'm warning you now, Ranma, it takes a HUGE amount of energy to affect a person, and you shouldn't expect it to hold them for very long.  No matter how strong they are, it takes several seconds to fight off the effect--but any reasonably strong person can do it.  Their own life force will push away the foreign chi.  You have to be something like twenty times stronger than someone else to hold them completely helpless."

                "No problem," Ranma said.  As fast as she was, several seconds would be plenty.  "So what's the next part of how to do this thing?"  She knew there had to be more to the technique than what Kaori had said so far.  If it were that simple, other people would have discovered it too.

                "Why don't you see if you can figure it out for yourself?" Kaori asked with a smile.  "Look quick, because I'm only going to be able to show you this once."  The brunette settled back into intense concentration, calling on all the chi she could spare, and warping it around the chopsticks.  The concentration of the energy was such that it could actually be seen, a bright white glow that obscured the sticks beneath it.  As promised, Kaori could only hold this level of power for a few seconds (although unlike when she used it to bind an opponent in place, this time when she released the technique she was able to reabsorb much of the energy).  She wiped sweat from her brow, and sent a querying gaze Ranma-chan's way.

                The Saotome heir was frowning, looking a little uneasy.  "That... that wasn't emotion-based chi.  Was it?"

                Kaori shook her head, not really surprised at the question.  "Is that what you're used to using?"

                "Uh-huh."

                "If I understand how that works, when you do that you're pulling in power from around you.  Not just using your own life force."  Kaori shook her head.  "For this kind of control, you're going to have to do it all on your own, Ranma."

                The redhead sighed.  "Okay.  Guess you're right about this taking awhile to learn."

                "Did you see anything else?"

                Ranma-chan blinked.  "You mean... there was something else I needed to see?"

                "Mm-hm.  Don't feel bad, though... the most you could possibly have caught would be just a hint of the effect.  It's not really something that can be SEEN, exactly.  It's the secret to how to get the technique to work, and it's the reason we use chopsticks to start teaching it."  Kaori smiled.  "It's also a good reason to pay more attention in Geometry, by the way."

                Ranma-chan gave her a dubious look.  The brunette continued with her explanation.  "The secret is, when you form the chi field, you can't think of it as a smooth whole.  It's not like a blob of oil or something like that.  Instead, you have to think of it as being made up of lots of little pieces that interlock with each other... and that mesh perfectly around the object that you're trying to control.  That's why chopsticks are so simple... just think of lots and lots of little stick-like pieces of chi, all parallel, all fitting snugly together with each other and around the chopsticks."

                The Saotome heir grimaced, trying to stretch her mind around that.  "So... when you use the technique with a bowl of ramen and make a noodle-noose...?"

                "The chi-field in the bowl has to be made of tangled, swirling strands like the ramen noodles.  Around the chopsticks, though, it's like I already said--an orderly bunch of straight little pieces."  Kaori gave him a bemused look.  "And don't try to think about the intersection between the two, because if you do that you'll lose control of the whole thing.  You just have to let that part happen on its own."

                "And what about holding a person?"

                Kaori placed her left forefinger on her wrist and sketched a few quick lines that formed a circle around her arm.  "Imagine lots of arcs that tie into each other, circling around your opponent like chains.  It's like you're building a suit of armor around them, except since it's made out of your own life force they can't make it move.  That's what I meant about paying more attention in Geometry.  You need to be able to make good spatial judgments and imagine the little pieces that fit together within them."

                "Man, this sounds like a lot of work," Ranma-chan complained.  "Are you sure it's worth it, Kaori?"

                The brunette shrugged.  "What do you think?  I'd have won our fight after I used it on you, if I'd just hit your Unconsciousness Point instead of going for a Noodle-Noose attack.  If you're good enough to use it, the Daikoku Secure Delivery is about the best ace in the hole you can ask for."

                Truth be told, Ranma-chan hadn't really meant her question; it had been more a case of blowing off steam than anything else.  She could see the possibilities for herself.  Especially pleasing was a quick fantasy of halting Happosai in his perverted little tracks the next time he tried a splash-and-grope, then punting him to the moon.  "Yeah, I guess I can see that.  Thanks for teachin' me this, Kaori.  I really appreciate it."

                "Of course, Ranma.  What are" '_fiancées'__ "friends for?"_

***************

                The final cinderblock was carefully laid atop the others.

                _"Are you all right, Ranma?"_

_                He stared back at her, clearly not understanding the question.  "All right?  Why wouldn't I be?"_

                _"I just thought... when Shampoo forced you on a date, you ended up getting hurt afterward.  And isn't that usually what happens?  Somebody shows up and ruins things?"_

_                "Oh, you talkin' about the evening with Kaede?"_

She folded the towel over the topmost block, and tried to focus.

                _"Don't let it go to your head!  I was just... maybe a little worried about how it went..."_

_                He had actually given her a smile.  "It went okay, Akane.  Nobody came outta the blue and tried to attack me, or her.  Nothing crazy happened at all."  He'd run that last thought back through his mind, then amended, "Unless it counts as crazy that I finally had a peaceful, kinda fun date that didn't end badly."_

_                "Oh.  I see."  It had been very hard not to grit her teeth.  "So you enjoyed yourself?"_

One hand lifted, coming to rest at the perfect height.

_                "Yeah.  She didn't try to grab me or get all mushy or anything.  We just walked around, got some food, won a few games."_

_                "That's all?  You sure didn't come back very early last night."_

_                "Well, we did leave the festival a little early an' go to a park.  She wanted me to show her the Chestnut Fist.  So I did that, and we talked about martial arts for a while."  He had smiled again, happily, reminiscently._

"KYYYAAAHHH!!"

                Her hand blazed downward, the towel protecting her from the worst of the impact against the rough surface as she struck the stack of blocks.  They shattered with a satisfying crunch.

                Akane stared grimly down at the pile of cloth and rubble.  '_I told him it was okay, that I wasn't mad because he was going out with Kaede.  I heard him tell the whole thing to Kasumi!  I heard how much he didn't want to go!_

                '_Didn't I?'_

                He wasn't supposed to have been in a good mood the morning after!  Or if he was, it ought to have been because he'd gotten an unpleasant ordeal out of the way.  He wasn't supposed to think back to the date with a smile on his face!

                Had she asked just a few questions more, Akane would have learned that Ranma was in a good mood after a night of pleasant dreams, that he had been recalling Kaede's promise to teach him her technique for dealing with chi blasts, and smiling in anticipation of learning a new move.  But so far each question she had asked that morning had left her feeling worse, and so Akane had chosen that moment to cut her losses.  She had fallen silent for the rest of their walk to school, but since that had only been a few more minutes Ranma hadn't noticed anything was wrong.

                By the time school had let out she'd managed to push the bad mood to the back of her mind.  Back before the date with Kaede, Akane had told Ranma that she knew he had to do these things sometimes and she wasn't mad at him.  Though her resolve was now being seriously tested, she meant to hold to that.

                But heaven help Kaede if the other girl came by and challenged her like she did with Shampoo.  Akane knew the Amazon had obliterated Kaede, handing the interloper a MUCH worse defeat than Shampoo had ever managed against Akane herself.  Just let Kaede come by and start something, and the heir to the Tendo school of Anything Goes would be MORE than happy to finish it!

                She found herself really, really hoping the other girl wouldn't take too long.  She had a lot of hurt to work out now, and not targeting any of it on Ranma was straining her to the absolute limit.

                And now, not forty-eight hours after going out with Kaede, he was meeting with Kaori for yet another stupid study date!  After making several utterly useless attempts to focus on her own homework, Akane had changed into a gi and headed for the dojo.  She had destroyed numerous training dummies and a large quantity of cinderblocks this afternoon, and was finally beginning to feel better.

                When she left the dojo and began walking back toward the house, only to catch sight of Ranma striding along the top of the wall, heading in the same direction with a carefree smile on his face, that sensation began seeping away all too quickly.

                "Hey, Akane!" Ranma said, catching sight of her.  "Been working out?"

                "Uh-huh.  How'd the _studying go?" Akane asked.  "It must've been worse than usual, if you're so happy to be done now."_

                "Ehhhh!  Wrong!" her fiancé replied playfully.  "Managed to talk her into doing something else instead."

                The youngest Tendo gritted her teeth.  '_Gee.  I bet she took a LOT of convincing.'  Out loud she said, "Oh, really?  So what did you do?  Take her out for ice cream?  Maybe stop off and see a movie?  Or just go for a long romantic walk in the park?!"_

                Ranma's smile faded, to be replaced by a look of annoyed resignation.  "And once again she jumps to the wrong conclusion," he muttered.  "No, no, and no, Akane.  We did some training.  I helped her learn something new, and she did the same thing for me.  Is that okay?"

                Judging from her appearance, it wasn't.  Akane's fists were clenched at her sides, so tightly that the blood had completely fled from her knuckles.  Any reassurance she might have felt at hearing the outing hadn't been a date was buried under a swift tide of resentment.  First Kaede, now Kaori!  "Okay?  OKAY?!  No, Ranma, it's NOT okay!  When are you going to start helping ME out like that?!  Damn it, I'm a martial artist too!  And you've NEVER tried to help me get better!!"

                "Excuse me?" Ranma said sharply.  "You wanna hear just what I helped Kaori with, Akane?  You wanna know just how I did it?  I found out she didn't have a clue about how good at midair attacks it was possible to be.  So I smacked her one to get her good and annoyed, then I ran away and made her follow me roof-hopping.  She couldn't even believe it when she looked around and realized she'd chased me all the way up twenty stories high."

                So basically Ranma had led Kaori off somewhere more private.  "How is that supposed to make me feel BETTER?!" she demanded.

                "Cause it's the same thing I've TRIED to do with you!" Ranma shouted back.  "You think you're gonna get better just breakin' those stupid bricks all the time?!  Dream on, Akane.  Those times when I stood there and taunted you and dodged everything you'd got, that was the kind of workout you needed.  Heck, it still is!"

                "That's supposed to be training?!  Don't lie to my face, Ranma, that was just another excuse for you to make fun of me!!"  It was becoming more and more of a struggle not to hit him.

                "It is NOT!!  It's training!  You gotta be able to focus, to anticipate what your enemy's gonna do, to control your stupid temper.  It's the same kinda method Pop's used on me!"

                "That's supposed to make me feel better about it?  You were trying to turn me into a rude, egotistical, perverted idiot too?!"

                "Look, I don't need this!" Ranma exploded.  "I shoulda known you weren't gonna listen to a word I said.  I don't know why you even bothered to bring this up anyway, Akane.  I've only ONCE in my LIFE seen you serious about training, and even then you botched it up anyway!"

                "What... did... you... say?" the youngest Tendo gritted out.

                "You heard me!  Remember those two girls who thought Mr. Tendo was their dad?  Remember how they kicked your ass?  Only reason we won the rematch was cause I used a modified Hiryu Shoten Ha blast to stop their attack and blind 'em!  What the heck did YOU practice during that week before the rematch?  Just more hitting stuff, I bet!"

                That was the straw that broke the camel's back.  With a wordless cry of fury, Akane decided to get in a little more hitting practice.

***************

                ~_You know, Ranma, variety is the spice of life.~_

                He stood once again at the pinnacle of the Tokyo Tower.  His companion hung in the air before him, shifting and billowing even though the night air was calm about them.  "Huh.  I'm not so sure about that."

                ~_What do you mean?~_

                Ranma paused, musing for a brief moment that it was rather unfair that the only one allowed to ask questions was a figment of his own imagination.  Then he answered, "I dunno.  It just seems like in my life, the more things change, the more they stay the same."

                ~_I see.  Like this afternoon, when you laid it out for Akane and she blew up at you.  Every time you've tried to train her she lost her temper and quit, but let her hear that you helped Kaori out and BOOM!  There goes the volcano!~_

"There goes the hammer, you mean," Ranma muttered.  When Akane had thrown her latest tantrum, he'd dodged her first attempts, as a sort of object lesson.  However, he had quickly grown alarmed at how much angrier this was making her.  So at last he let her connect with an uppercut, sending him soaring into the wild blue yonder.  It had taken him well into the evening to walk back home.

                ~_Well, how about some real variety?  If you really want to fly again, we can do that.  But there's something else you might like to try.~_

"Well, now my curiosity's going.  And since I ain't allowed to ask questions..." Ranma said with a sarcastic grin, "go ahead and show me this other choice you think I'll like."

                ~_We'll still need to start out flying.  Let's go, Ranma.~  The wings formed about him, and he followed his companion into the air._

                This time there wasn't the usual sense of freedom and exhilaration.  Such of his awareness as was available was spent wondering just what new direction this dream would take.  He didn't have long to wonder, though.

                As soon as they were a few dozen feet away from the Tokyo Tower, the world did another one of those twisting convulsing changes.  By rights Ranma _should_ have felt a jolt of fear--after all, the previous times he'd experienced this effect it had either ended the dream or almost ended it.  But for the moment, things were different.  Over the course of the last several dreams, Ranma had been more and more aware and alert in each subsequent episode, but in the instant in which he had taken to the air, his mind had sunk back into a warm, fuzzy, absolute somnolent peace that hadn't been there since the very first flight.  And so when the world shifted, and he found himself and his companion were now over the ocean with no land in sight, Ranma simply accepted it.

                Nor did he blink when his wings deformed, wrapping around him like a second skin, even though this left him dropping like a stone.

                Passage from air to water washed the cobwebs out of his mind.  Ranma slid effortlessly beneath the waves and caught sight of his companion, flowing on ahead of him and heading deeper.  He followed.  The shadow that had been his wings now surrounded him, encasing him in a thin film that occasionally swept outward in finlike protrusions.  They seemed to ebb and flow, now streaming out from his arms, now his legs, now one from his upper back and two more from his hips, automatically moving in concert with the strokes from his arms and legs.

                The 'fins' portion of his ensemble made sense; he could tell that he was cutting quite an impressive pace as he slipped through the water, but the remainder puzzled him a little.  What was the point of this shield getting stretched thin to cover him completely?  It wasn't keeping the ocean out.  He could clearly feel the water against his skin...

                _His skin?!  Ranma grinned a huge grin.  '_All right!  My stupid curse isn't getting triggered!_'_

                ~_It's been a long time since you could take a swim as the man you really are.~  His companion seemed nearly as pleased as Ranma himself was.  ~_Are you glad you gave my other idea a try?_~_

                "Oh, yeah," he replied.  Since this was a dream, the fact that he could apparently speak and breathe underwater was somewhat less surprising than it might have been.

                ~_I'm glad.  Glad to see you're willing to try new things.  It's not a good idea to hold onto something just because it's familiar.~_

                Ranma would spend a fair amount of time over the next few days thinking back to this dream... relishing the memories (even if they hadn't been real) of swimming in his natural form; reliving the sensation of racing along in the heart of a deep, powerful current; experiencing again the awe brought on by the sight of a pod of blue whales.  Those words of his companion never would reenter his conscious thoughts.  But they remained in the deeper waters of his mind, like a sunken stone that causes the currents to shift and flow in new patterns.

***************

                Kasumi walked past her father and Genma, and neither so much as glanced her way.  The eldest Tendo daughter wasn't really surprised at this.  Here and now she didn't suppose they would have noticed her if she had been carrying a live anaconda rather than her basketful of freshly-dried laundry.  Both men were staring grimly at the shogi board, but the game took only a distant second place in their minds.

                The house was quiet, but so may be the lull before a storm... and it didn't take much perception to see that there was one building.  Kasumi thought back over the last several days, remembering the fight Akane and Ranma had had after his last get-together with Kaori.  They hadn't made up yet, nor did Kasumi think either one had taken even the first step toward such a resolution.  And she wasn't sure what such a step would be this time, anyway.  Akane was adamant that Ranma needed to apologize, and Ranma was convinced he'd done nothing wrong.

                The teens had avoided each other more often than not, which had been fairly easy with all the time Ranma had spent doing odd exercises.  Kasumi had overheard Nabiki question him about these; Ranma's explanation was that he was trying to learn new ways to control and use his chi.  This preoccupation had kept things peaceful on the surface, but the eldest Tendo daughter had felt that it was only a matter of time before this ended.

                And now she was certain of it.

                Today Ranma had come home from school, eaten a snack, spent a little more time fiddling around with a bunch of chopsticks... and then had prepared to leave.  Perhaps by chance, Akane had been upstairs at the time, and her father had been in the dojo, visiting Mrs. Tendo's shrine.  However, Genma had intercepted his son and demanded to know where he was going.  Ranma's answer had been that he had plans to meet with Kaede this afternoon.

                Kasumi was still surprised that Genma's bellow hadn't brought Akane racing down the stairs.  The older man was furious, but before his bluster could really take off, Ranma had told him flatly that this wasn't up for discussion.  He'd gone on to explain that he was meeting Kaede so she could teach him a new technique, one that would not only defeat a chi blast but actually enable him to steal a few seconds of extra power from it.

                Genma's face had twisted in tortured indecision then, no doubt remembering that Ryoga's Shi Shi Hokodan had actually allowed him to defeat Ranma once.  The younger Saotome had waited to see what his father would say, which privately surprised Kasumi quite a bit.  At last Genma acquiesced, but made it very clear that this get-together was only to be for the purpose of bettering his son's skills in the Art, and that he'd better keep any thoughts of a romantic nature fixed firmly on his real fiancée.  Ranma had just snorted and left.

                Soun had not taken the news well.  In fact, he hadn't taken it at all; when he returned and wondered where Ranma was, Genma just said the boy had left for some training.  And so both men sat in glum silence around the gaming table, one suspecting that Ranma was running around with some other girl, the other one knowing it was true.

                It was now about thirty** minutes after Ranma had left.  Nabiki had gone upstairs shortly after his departure, and Akane had yet to stir from her room.  The house was quiet, and might even have seemed peaceful to a casual observer.  But Kasumi thought ahead to what would happen once Akane learned what Ranma wasup to this afternoon, and couldn't help but consider the silence ominous.**

***************

                Shampoo blinked in surprise, then halted her forward momentum before she could run into Cologne's outstretched staff.  "Why you stop me, Great-Grandmother?"

                "I just wanted to say something first."  Cologne retracted her staff, setting it so the point rested against the ground.  She vaulted to her favored position atop the knobby end, which gave her the height to look Shampoo in the eye.  "You know that this will change things.  Once and for all."  Her great-granddaughter nodded solemnly, but said nothing in response.  Cologne continued, "You must not shrink back, Shampoo.  For the sake of your Airen, you must do this, and you must do it correctly."

                She leaned forward, clearly defying the laws of physics as her staff tilted past the ninety-degree angle without toppling over.  Shampoo was putting up a good front, but Cologne had not missed the hint of doubt and reluctance that lurked behind her eyes.  "You are the daughter of three thousand years of Amazon glory and honor.  What you have, you have worked for with blood, tears, and sacrifice.  She is a spoiled little girl who demands that those far above her treat her as their equal."  The doubt was fading quickly from her great-granddaughter, Cologne noted with satisfaction.  "When others say things that she doesn't wish to hear, she simply lashes out in temper.  And the one who usually bears the brunt of it is _your_ rightful husband.  The man you love with all your heart, and she treats him like garbage."  Fire rose behind Shampoo's ruby irises.  Cologne finished, "And today she will receive a reckoning for her attitude."  She hopped down from her staff.

                "She will for true," Shampoo ground out.  She turned, and began to move forward again, only to be stopped once more by Cologne's staff.  Biting back the urge to demand "Now what?!", she turned and gave her great-grandmother an impatient querying look.

                "There is a form to be followed here, Shampoo," Cologne said dryly.  "Just walking right in wouldn't have been appropriate... _especially_ if you made your own entrance.  Allow me."

                She walked the remaining distance to the rear gate of the Tendo compound, extended her staff, and knocked.

***************

                Akane jerked upright, coming out of her chair into a standing position, and wincing as the sudden motion tore her headphones right off her head.  She'd been listening to the music at rather a high volume, but it hadn't come close to masking the trembling, thundering *boom* that had reverberated through the air.

                The first one had brought her out of her seat.  The next one that sounded sent Akane racing out of her room, only barely managing not to collide with Nabiki in the hallway, and hurrying downstairs.  A quick look around identified only Kasumi, Soun, and Genma.  "Where's Ranma?!" she demanded.  A bit of a knee-jerk reaction, perhaps, but certainly not unreasonable to associate whatever weirdness was occurring with her pigtailed chaos-magnet of a fiancé.

                Nabiki made a mental note to tease Akane later.  Right now she was more concerned with the way her father and Mr. Saotome weren't even trying to hide their fear.  The two men had turned to face the rear of the compound, flinching when another reverberation came, staring as if they expected all the demons of hell to suddenly come pouring through the back gate.  "What's going on, Daddy?!" she demanded, choking down a bit of her own anxiety.

                "Battle aura... very strong..." Soun gulped, and spoke the rest in a choked whisper.  "The only time I've felt something like that was when the M- Master was truly angry at us..."

                The middle Tendo let out a sigh of aggravation.  At times like these she really hoped she was adopted.  This abject terror her father held for Happosai was ridiculous even by Nerima standards.  So what if the old lech was powerful enough to kick Soun's and Genma's butts at the same time?  The duo had sealed him in a cave for ten years and when he got out he didn't hand out any real payback.  That OUGHT to have clued his clueless disciples in that he wasn't the monster they seemed to think him.

                Yet another boom resounded.  After the echoes had faded, Nabiki sighed loudly.  "Okay, Grandpappy Happi has come back early from his trip, he's pissed, and for some reason he's sitting outside the gate instead of coming right in like he usually does.  I'm going back to my room until something that really matters happens."

                "Open the gate!"

                That cry brought Nabiki to a halt.  "Oops," she muttered under her breath, recognizing Shampoo's high-pitched tones all too clearly, and remembering there was one other denizen of Nerima that could match Happosai strength for strength.

***************

                Once she sensed Soun and Genma moving toward her, Cologne pulled her battle aura back in.  Expending so much energy just to magnify the sound of her knocking was more than a little bit wasteful, but the Matriarch had felt like being dramatic.  She and Shampoo stepped back so the gates could swing wide without hitting them.  Once the path was open, Shampoo strode forward, head held high, determination burning in her eyes.  Cologne followed unobtrusively behind her, walking rather than bouncing along atop her staff.  She had her own supporting role today, but it was time for her great-granddaughter to take the lead.

                "What do you want, Shampoo?!" Akane snapped.

                "Sign out front says challengers should use rear door.  That why I here, that what I do."  Shampoo met Akane's gaze squarely, returning a look that shone with determination and disdain.  "I make challenge to the heir of the Tendo dojo."

                "Why exactly are you doing this?" Nabiki asked coldly.  Her Ice Queen mask was stretched nearly to the breaking point, though... she knew how strong Shampoo was, she doubted it was a coincidence that this challenge was occurring while Ranma was away, and Nabiki was quite frankly scared for her sister.

                The Amazon smirked.  She hadn't really doubted that someone would give her an opening, but that it had been Nabiki who played into her hands... well, that was grounds for satisfaction.  "Because is only right and proper."  She fixed a stare like a laser on Akane.  "Heir to Tendo Anything Goes always say she is martial artist too.  She say everybody should respect her.  She do whatever she want and think she get away with it.  She hide behind man who is million times better than her when there is trouble, and when there is not she yell at him and call him stupid."

                Akane was trembling now, her face pale with fury.  Shampoo didn't let her get a word in edgewise, continuing, "Akane Tendo is disgrace to the Art.  She is nothing but honorless little girl who plays with worthless style, running around and pretending and living in dream world.  Today is day she get wake-up call.  Is matter of duty for _real_ martial artist like me."

                "You... have no right to say that..."  This was Soun, speaking now with barely-suppressed rage.  "You stay away from my little girl.  If you would challenge the Tendo School of Anything Goes, then you will face me!"

                Her great-grandmother had warned her to expect this.  Shampoo didn't even look at Soun, continuing to face Akane and smirking all the wider.  "So you will hide behind father since Ranma not here.  Why Shampoo not surprised."

                That was Nabiki's cue to turn and hurry toward the house.  She could already tell that Soun's protest wasn't going to cut it.  Time now for someone with an actual brain to try damage control.

                "Don't you dare, Dad,"  Akane spoke only with difficulty, the words emerging half-choked with fury.  "This is my fight."  She turned to face the Amazon, and for the first time felt pure, unadulterated hatred as she stared at the lavender-haired girl.  "I accept your challenge."

                "Akane, no!" Soun yelled, switching from determined to terrified.  "You mustn't!"

                "The challenge was made to Akane Tendo of the Tendo school of Anything Goes, and she accepted," Cologne observed.  "Soun Tendo, if you forbid it then you prove once and for all that your school is nothing but a lie."

                "Stay OUT of this, Dad!!" Akane roared.  "I have to do this.  I'm going to do this."

                "Good.  You go dress up in gi; Shampoo will meet you in dojo."  The Amazon sneered.  "And try to get temper under control by then.  This going to be too too easy even if you give all you have.  Right now you so mad little kid could beat you."

                Akane only barely held back from charging right then and there.  Shampoo had made the challenge, so she would meet it accordingly.  She turned, and strode toward the house, her battle aura scorching the grass as she went.

***************

                Shampoo stood in the center of the dojo and waited.  Genma, Soun, and Kasumi sat a fair distance away, by the doorway through which Akane would enter.  Soun alternated between glaring furiously at the lavender-haired girl and casting anxious glances toward the house.  Genma's face was a mask of bitter stoicism.  Kasumi was the most composed of the three, but even she was clearly worried.

                Cologne rested against the far wall, with her eyes half-lidded and a look of distant unconcern on her face.  To all appearances the Matriarch was paying almost no attention to the scene before her.  Neither Soun nor Genma thought that at all likely.  Interestingly enough, however, Shampoo knew that this once appearances weren't deceiving.  Her great-grandmother's attention was fixed elsewhere, for reasons that were every bit as important as Shampoo's own role in this drama.

                It didn't take long for Akane to appear.  She was as angry as before, but her temper was running cold now.  Shampoo didn't plan to let that last very long.

                "I'm here," the youngest Tendo declared.  "Is this the part where you say whoever loses has to give up on Ranma?"

                "This have nothing to do with Ranma," Shampoo lied coldly.

                "Good," said Nabiki, appearing in the doorway through which Akane had just entered.  The middle Tendo hurried into the dojo, settled down next to Mr. Saotome, and flipped the lens cap off the video camera she'd fetched.  "It must just be a coincidence that you waited until he wasn't here to make this challenge.  I'm sure you won't mind a bit if I record your little performance and play it back for him.  So he can see Akane's mistakes and help her work on them, of course."  On that note, she hit the 'record' button.

                Shampoo stood frozen, and though she tried to keep any hint of expression off her face, the sudden shift to a blank mask was plenty revealing in its own way.  Several moments ticked by, as the Amazon furiously considered this development.  At last she said, "If Akane not embarrassed to get her pathetic skills on tape, Shampoo not mind either."  She produced her bonbori and assumed a ready stance.  "Fight is to knock-out or submission.  You ready, Akane Tendo?"

                Akane nodded curtly, and assumed her own stance.  Kasumi took a deep breath--since Nabiki was busy, it fell to her to give the signal.  Pushing aside her worry, she announced, "Then... begin!"

                Aside from both girls tensing slightly, there was no immediate response.  Once it was clear that Akane wasn't going to rush in blindly, Shampoo gave another irritating smirk.  "You leave first move to Shampoo?  Okay, I not waste your time."  She drew back... one step, another, another.  And then the Amazon exploded forward, racing toward Akane with the power and fury of a freight train.

                Akane barely had time to flinch, suddenly reminded of what had happened after her first defeat by Natsume and Kurumi, when she had challenged Shampoo and Ukyo at the same time.  Before she could recover the Amazon was upon her, swinging one bonbori toward her head.  Desperately Akane blocked, successfully deflecting the mace.  Before she could even think about counterattacking, the other one swept toward her gut.  Blocking this one came harder, but she managed to shove it aside and down so that it only brushed past her hip.

                The combination of her poor start and her awkward defense compromised her balance, as Shampoo had intended.   The Amazon was already moving, circling toward Akane's other side.  She ducked and whipped one leg out in a move that knocked her opponent's legs completely out from under her.  Akane fell, landing flat on her rear.

                The Amazon took one step backward and several to the side, dropped her guard entirely, and gave her downed foe the haughtiest, most supercilious look of disgusted superiority she could manage.  "You even more pathetic than last time, Shampoo think."

                The taunt did its work--Akane saw red.  She gave a kiai of fury, shot back to her feet, and surged forward, sending the hardest, fastest, strongest punch she could manage rocketing directly toward her enemy.

                Since this was exactly what she had been angling for, Shampoo was nowhere near caught by surprise.  Just for a second, the mocking expression disappeared entirely as she dropped into absolute focus and called on all the speed and control she had.  Rotating and stepping quickly to one side partially removed her from the path of Akane's incoming haymaker; simultaneously she brought one bonbori down, angled just perfectly that when Akane hit it her punch was deflected without any damage done to her hand.  

                Kasumi felt a surge of hope for Akane's chances as the force of her blow tore Shampoo's weapon right from her grasp.  Then hope turned to fear as the mace rocketed through the air, apparently on a collision course with her middle sister.

                Nabiki froze, unable to react quickly enough to danger actually coming her way.  Beside her, Genma tensed... but it only took an instant for his trained senses to calculate that the weapon wasn't really going to hit the girl after all.  No need to push himself to the effort necessary to stop it.

                Only a second later he realized that, while the weapon wasn't going to hit Nabiki, her video camera was directly in its path.  And by that time it was too late--the bonbori knocked the camera right out of Nabiki's grip, smashing it to uselessness.  The middle Tendo stared queasily down at her empty, unscathed hands, and gulped several times.

                "You best person Shampoo know at breaking stuff, Akane," the Amazon said sarcastically.  She tossed away her remaining bonbori to land next to Cologne.  "Here, I get rid of this so you not accidentally destroy more of own family's property."

                "Shut UP!!" Akane screamed, charging in again.

                Shampoo wasn't there.  In a move reminiscent of her first fight with Akane, the Amazon vaulted over her opponent's head, although this time she didn't whip out a bottle of memory-altering shampoo.  Akane stumbled as her target vanished, then whirled around to find the Amazon was just staring at her with that damned mocking sneer.

                "Would say nice try, but is too big lie even to work as sarcasm," Shampoo said.  She forced more disgust into her voice.  "Is this really your idea of what martial artist is?"

                Akane attacked again, holding nothing back, trying desperately to get in one good hit.  She'd make the Amazon pay for this, for not taking her seriously!  She would!  She would!

                She wouldn't.

                Shampoo didn't bother to get out of the way this time, merely drew on her greater speed and pushed all of Akane's blows aside.  She let this continue for a couple of minutes, giving her opponent time to wear herself down, preserving her own strength by using just enough force to deflect each attack.  At the end of this time she allowed herself a conspicuous yawn.

                "I not Ranma, you know," she remarked conversationally, knocking away a kick.  "I not let you win.  I not give you NOTHING you not earn."  She poured on a little more speed, and snaked a blow of her own through Akane's futile barrage... a slap that struck the youngest Tendo across the right cheek, just hard enough to smart.  Akane flinched, recovered, and resumed the attack.  After blocking a few more punches, Shampoo grabbed an incoming kick and snatched Akane right off her feet, tossing her so that she spun in midair.  In the brief instant that Akane's head was level with Shampoo's torso, the Amazon slapped her twice.  Again, the force of each blow was carefully measured to serve as an insult rather than an attempt to harm.  Akane only just managed to control her fall; she hit the ground, and this time she didn't immediately get back up.  Shampoo's expression didn't soften as she stared down at the other girl.  "You earn this, Akane Tendo."

                "No, I didn't," Akane returned, blinking aside tears of rage and pain.  She got back to her feet.  She knew now who was going to win this match, but she'd be damned if she gave up while she had any strength left.  "Just shut up and fight."

                Shampoo sniffed.  "Again she tell someone else what to do.  Just like always.  Respect me!  Give me what I want!  Get out of my way!"  She leveled a glare of contempt on her opponent.  "You insult Shampoo and many other people too when you call self martial artist."  She deflected Akane's new flurry of punches.  "You think you get away with whatever you like.  This where you learn you is wrong."

                Desperately Akane tried to block out the words.  Her breathing was harsh and labored now, partially from the emotional turmoil, but mainly from the effort she'd put forth.  She was nearing the end of her reserves.  With a scream of defiance, she put everything she had left into a thrust kick.

                Shampoo stopped it cold.

                Seeing the flash of despair cross Akane's face nearly threatened Shampoo's own resolve.  She knew this wasn't fair.  She was the product of three thousand years of breeding for strength and fighting prowess... of _course she was stronger than the other girl.  She'd teased Akane about this before, but rubbing her face in it in a situation like this was different._

                But there were other, important reasons why she was doing this.  Shampoo hardened her heart and pushed out, releasing Akane's foot and forcing her to take several stumbling steps backward to avoid falling.

                Cologne's eyes snapped open, and she turned her full attention to the scene immediately before her.  "Enough, Great-Granddaughter.  Quit playing with her."

                Shampoo inclined her head, understanding the real message.  Time was running out--the Matriarch had sensed Ranma's approach.  Having him hear about what she was doing was one thing, but actually letting him watch her crush Akane like this would be a serious mistake.  The _last_ thing she wanted was to engage his sympathy and protective instincts toward Akane, and if he should witness the girl's humiliation first-hand there was all too good a chance that that would happen.

                Her pigtailed husband would still be several blocks away, though, so Shampoo had time to finish this properly.  "This is lesson to you, Akane Tendo.  You is NOT martial artist.  You is just spoiled child.  Shampoo hope you learn it good and change... but I not bet on it."  And with that she blasted forward, ignored Akane's feeble attempt at defense, grabbed the other girl's shoulder, half-spun her, and tagged the appropriate shiatsu point on the back of her neck.

                Akane collapsed into the relative mercy of unconsciousness.  Shampoo didn't let her drop to the floor, but instead carefully laid her out along it.  Then she straightened back to her feet and sent a hard look toward the man who had named this girl as fit to be his school's heir.  "So much for Tendo school of Anything Goes."

                Soun ignored her, choosing instead to rush over to his prostrate daughter with a wail of "Akaaaannneee!"  Cologne gave him one glance of disgust, then pogoed over to Shampoo's side.  "Let us be on our way, Shampoo."

                The lavender-haired Amazon refrained from meeting anyone else's eyes as she collected her bonbori and left the dojo, not particularly wanting to see any more stares of hatred sent her way.  She would have been surprised if she had made eye-contact with Nabiki, because the middle Tendo's expression had been one of uncertainty and consideration rather than antipathy.  And Kasumi was too caught up in concern for her youngest sister to pay any attention at all to the departing Amazons.

                Only Genma stared darkly at the lavender-haired girl, but even that didn't qualify as hatred.  There was anger and a tired bitterness present, to be sure, but mixed with that was the tiniest flicker of grudging respect... and even a little hope.

***************

                Ranma walked along, still disappointed at how the afternoon had turned out.  He'd gone all the way to the inn where the Hayashibaras were staying, only to be met in the outer yard by a remorseful Kaede.  When she'd agreed to this day and time for getting together, she had forgotten that the schedule clashed with her plan to attend a local tournament in which her father was competing.  She had apologized to Ranma for skipping out on him, but had explained that being there to cheer her father on was very important to her.

                He'd actually considered inviting himself to come along... watching serious tournaments was a good way to get ideas for new techniques.  It had been a long time since he'd done that, too.  Most of the tournaments that were held in Nerima were goofy things that only sort of qualified as martial arts.

                But after a brief struggle, he'd just arranged the time for his rain-check with Kaede, and told her goodbye.  He personally thought it was stupid and unfair that he had been getting in trouble at home for spending time working on the Art, even if it was with other girls... but stupidity and unfairness didn't keep the trouble from manifesting.  He wasn't about to back down when the chance came to be taught powerful new chi techniques, but spending an entire evening with Kaede just to watch a tournament, when he'd said he'd probably only be gone for a few hours, felt like pushing things a little too far.

                And so he was heading back to the Tendo homestead now, disappointed in how the afternoon had gone, and frustrated that others' expectations were keeping him from something that he'd have kind of liked to do.

                "Nihao, Ranma!"  The cheery cry interrupted his silent grumbling.  He blinked, realizing that Shampoo had just appeared around a corner some little distance ahead of him.  She gave him a wave and picked up the pace a little as she approached.

                "Hey, Shampoo.  You on your way back from a delivery?" Ranma asked as she reached his side.

                "Something like that," the Amazon agreed.  He utterly failed to notice the forced quality of her cheerfulness.  "Big, important delivery."  Before he could ask anything more, Shampoo's tone changed, becoming much more serious.  "Airen... just want you to know something..."

                "Uh, what?"

                "Want to remind you, there are people who not treat you like garbage.  Who not blame you for what other people do."  Shampoo allowed a little bit of yearning affection to show in her eyes.  "When you ready for that, when you tired of what you usually get, remember Shampoo, okay?"  With that, she turned, and trotted away.

                Ranma stood there and watched her go.  "Okay, that was weird," he muttered under his breath once she was out of sight.

                Cologne caught up with her great-granddaughter a few moments later.  "You handled that nicely, Shampoo.  It would have been easier for us both to avoid him, but this way you have planted the seed now, rather than waiting until later.  And you did it with both sincerity and restraint.  Well done."

***************

                A Soun Tendo Demon Head attack made for a pretty terrible greeting, Ranma decided later.

                His immediate response, however, was to flatten backward against the wall, squeaking and gibbering in terror.  He had only taken a few steps into the house when Soun came racing downstairs, his features already swelling and distorting into the worst manifestation of rage Ranma had EVER seen.  The Tendo patriarch roared and howled at him, and the only phrase Ranma actually managed to make out was the final, "IS THAT CLEAR, SON?!"

                Relative silence fell then, broken by Soun's pants and Ranma's gasps.  Just as the Saotome heir almost began to feel ready to try asking a question, the lingering look of anger faded away from Soun's features.  With fresh tears welling up in his eyes, he wailed, "Akaaaannneee!" and hurried back the way he had come.

                "Akane?" Ranma muttered, feeling the stirrings of a fear different from the one Mr. Tendo's technique caused.  "Something happen to her?"

                Before he could follow in Soun's wake, Genma appeared next to him.  "I wouldn't go up there just yet, boy.  You don't want to set him off again.  Akane needs her peace and quiet."

                "Akane... what?  Pop, what happened?!"

                Genma met his son's gaze, privately gladdened at seeing the worry there, but only allowing himself to show sternness.  He had an opportunity here that he wasn't about to waste.  "How many times, Ranma?  How many times have I told you that you need to do something about all these girls who keep interfering in your engagement to Akane?  Maybe now you'll listen to me."

                "WHAT HAPPENED?!" Ranma yelled, grabbing his father's gi and pulling the older man toward him.

                Genma tried not to sweat.  He hadn't quite expected this level of response.  Still, for the message he was trying to get across now, he couldn't afford to show fear.  "Shampoo came by here and challenged Akane to a fight.  It's all because YOU weren't here to protect your fiancée!  She needed you, Ranma, and you weren't there for her.  If you had been, Akane wouldn't be lying unconscious in her room now!"

                Ranma let go.  By the time Genma's feet hit the ground, he was halfway up the stairs.

                Akane's door was already open.  Ranma raced through, pausing at the sight of his fiancée stretched out on top of her bed, still in her gi and dead to the world.  Unconsciousness had softened the expression on her face, though there was still a hint of a frown to be seen there.

                He zipped over to the bed, not even realizing that he had body-checked Soun out of the way, and began checking her for injuries as best he could.  No bandages, bloody or otherwise.  No lumps on her head.  No dislocated limbs, no sprained wrists or ankles.  No visible bruises.  Ranma calmed slightly, and regained enough self-possession to realize that making a more thorough investigation (which would require removing some of Akane's clothing) would be a really bad idea.

                Instead, he turned to face Kasumi.  The eldest Tendo daughter was standing at the foot of Akane's bed, which seemed a little odd... the position didn't really let her care for her sister very well.  On the other hand, her placing had been admirably suited to comfort her father, at least until Ranma had knocked him aside.  "Kasumi, how's Akane?  Is she okay?!  Is the doc on his way over here?!"

                "Oh, no, Ranma," Kasumi reassured him.  "There's no need for that.  Akane's fine."

                "You sure?" Ranma asked.  "I mean, she's unconscious here!"

                "I know, but that's just because Shampoo used that little 'tap on the back of the neck' trick.  The terms of the match were unconsciousness or surrender, and, well, Akane never has been very good at backing down."

                Ranma mulled that over, a nameless suspicion beginning to form.  He decided he needed to get a better handle on just what had happened in this so-called 'fight'.  "Kasumi, you saw the match, right?"

                "That's right."

                "Did Shampoo actually hit Akane?  Aside from that, I mean."

                "She slapped her a few times.  That was all."

                Surprised, Ranma turned back and examined Akane again.  "She's not bruised, Kasumi.  Her cheeks ain't even pink."

                "They weren't very hard slaps," Kasumi clarified.

                "And was there anything else?  Any death threats?  Any pressure point attacks?  Any weird Amazon techniques that looked like something else?  She didn't use the Xi Fang Gao again, did she?"

                "I don't remember her using the Xi Fang Gao," Kasumi said.  "She just blocked Akane's attacks, let her wear herself down, and then used the pressure point to knock her out."

                "Right.  I see."  Ranma turned and glared at Soun.  After all that build-up, the fact that Akane was just taking a Shampoo-induced nap bothered him far less than it would have if Soun or Genma had met him at the door and calmly explained what had actually happened.  "Geez, what is it with you and my old man?  Making me think something terrible had happened."

                "How can you say that," Soun wailed.  "This IS terrible!  My poor little baby girl was beaten unconscious!  That terrible Amazon insulted her and all but spit in her face, and then knocked her out without any mercy at all."

                "Insulted?"  Ranma turned back to Kasumi, as the more likely source of semi-trustworthy information.

                "Yes," she confirmed.  "Shampoo had some very harsh criticism for Akane.  She said her skills were pathetic and that she had no right to call herself a martial artist, and that she shouldn't do it anymore until she was willing to grow up and change."

                "She said all that, and she gave Akane an object lesson about how much work she needed to do, and she ended the match without hurting her?  She didn't try and say whoever won this fight got to keep me or nothin', did she?"  Given the Amazon's attitude when he ran into her, that seemed pretty unlikely.

                "That's right," Kasumi replied.

                Ranma heaved a sigh.  Shampoo's words now made more sense... at least, the part about an important delivery did.  '_One measly little lesson about how far Akane still has to go, and everybody falls all to pieces._'  As far as he was concerned, it was actually Genma who came off looking the worst here.  '_Stupid old man.  This is the same stuff he's used with me!  Sure he was never that harsh, but with me he'd never have needed to be._'

                "So what do you plan to do about it, Ranma?"

                The pigtailed boy turned at the query, to find Nabiki standing in the doorway.  "Whaddaya mean, Nabiki?"

                "What do you mean, what do I mean?  What... do... you... plan... to... do... about... it?"

                "I don't see why I gotta do anything," Ranma said with a frown.  

                Quickly Nabiki stepped forward, getting right in her father's face before the Demon Head could really begin to manifest.  "Cut it out, Daddy!" she snapped, quietly but with absolute firmness.  "Akane needs her rest, remember?"  Soun's chi attack collapsed along with his outrage, as fresh tears began to gather in his eyes.  Nabiki turned back to face Ranma.  "_You_ may not see why you ought to do anything, Ranma, but I can assure you," she jerked her head in the direction of her father and rolled her eyes, "there are those who are going to want some sort of action on your part."

                Somehow, he didn't doubt it.  "What am I supposed to do?" Ranma complained. "Get on Shampoo's case for making a challenge?  You live in a dojo, for cryin' out loud!  She had the right to do that!"  He blinked, then asked, "Did she take the sign?"

                Nabiki shook her head.  "She did make the challenge specifically to Akane as the heir to the Tendo school of Anything Goes, though.  Does that mean she can come back later and claim the sign?"

                "Nah.  Well, I mean, she'd have to make a new challenge for that, which wouldn't be much of a problem."  Ranma ignored the increase in Soun's tears.  "But if she didn't take it this time or say anything about it, I don't expect she's got any interest in doing that."  And considering how often Cologne went on about Amazon glory and honor and tradition, he didn't really think winning a sign from a dojo with no students would be something they'd consider much of a status symbol.

                "I hope you're right," Nabiki said, casting another glance Soun's way.  Kasumi was at his side patting his shoulder sympathetically.  "I can tell you right now, we absolutely do NOT need anything else piled on top of us.  Things are going to be bad enough around here when Akane wakes up."  She had some hope that Akane would learn a lesson from the day's events, but Nabiki was too familiar with her little sister to expect said lesson to be accepted quickly.  There were going to be some rough times ahead even if Shampoo never showed her face around here again.

***************

                The sight of Ranma (who had clearly left behind any resentment he might have had about what had happened after their date), followed by praise from Cologne, had left Shampoo smiling.  However, that expression didn't even last for the remainder of the walk back to the Cat Café.  Cologne noted the shift in her great-granddaughter's humor, but said nothing until they had actually reached her destination.  "Wait a moment, Shampoo," she said before her youngest descendent could open the door.  "Follow me.  I have something I'd like to show you."

                Shampoo maintained a respectful, puzzled silence as she followed her great-grandmother around to the alley behind the Cat Café.  Cologne gestured toward one section of wall opposite the restaurant.  "Approach the wall and strike it.  One clean punch, as hard and focused as you can manage."

                If anything, the instructions left Shampoo more puzzled.  What did the Matriarch mean by this?  Slowly she moved toward the wall, considering possibilities, wondering whether this was some kind of test.  As she reached her position and began to focus, a potential solution crossed her mind.  She quickly bounced to the top of the wall, checking to see that the other side was clear.  Satisfied, she dropped back to her prior position, focused all her strength, and shot her fist forward with a loud yell.

                The blow actually did a good bit LESS damage than she was capable of.  Even without using the Breaking Point technique, Shampoo (along with many other inhabitants of Nerima) would have had little trouble reducing much of the wall to rubble with one smashing, twisting blow.  But that wasn't what her great-grandmother had requested.  Her strike went cleanly through the stone leaving a hole just her fist's own size, as when a pine-needle is driven by the wind of a tornado through a telephone pole.  The stone formerly occupying that area shot forth at high speed, smashing into the far wall and leaving a noticeable gouge.  Shampoo withdrew her fist and turned to regard her great-grandmother, hoping for a smile of praise.

                She had to settle for an inscrutable look.  "What do you suppose the reason was that I asked you to do this, Shampoo?"

                "Was test?  If other person had been on other side, could have been hurt or killed.  You want to see if I remember to think of consequences before acting?"  That was something Cologne had been drilling her hard about of late.

                The Matriarch smiled at her.  "Actually, no, but I am very pleased nonetheless to see that you considered that."

                Shampoo inclined her head modestly, then asked, "Then what was reason, Great-Grandmother?"

                "An illustration.  Not a perfect one, but it will serve."  Cologne paused, before saying, "I just instructed you to punch a stone wall with all the strength you had.  What would have happened had I done so when you were eight years old?"

                The lavender-haired girl winced at the thought.  "Break every bone in hand."

                "Yes.  It would have been a completely inappropriate task for you at that time.  I would never have asked it of you."  Cologne cranked up the intensity of her stare.  "Although there have been plenty of times over the years when I laid other, more attainable, but still unpleasant challenges before you.  Lessons that left you a stronger person, but the learning of which was hard."

                Shampoo nodded, still unsure where this was going.  "So you know that, eh?" Cologne asked acerbically.  "Then why do I sense you moping and remorseful about what you did today?!  I told you before, no matter how much it hurt Akane Tendo, it will almost surely benefit her in the long run!  To shrink back from helping another with a hard lesson is MOST unbecoming in an Amazon, Great-Granddaughter!"

                Her eyes wide now with understanding, Shampoo hastened to explain.  "Is not that, Great-Grandmother.  I not feel any guilt or shame for teach Akane lesson.  She have it coming for long time now."

                "I see."  Cologne heard the sincerity in her voice, which surprised her--she'd apparently misjudged her youngest descendent completely.  Additional questioning was definitely in order.  "Come, let's go inside and discuss this further."

                She led her great-granddaughter into the restaurant.  Once the two of them were seated at a table, she spoke again.  "Just what is it that troubles you?"

                "Is what you remind me of, before we knock on Tendo back door.  That nothing will ever be same again after this."  Shampoo looked down.  "Help her in long run or not, Akane never forgive this.  She was never good friend, but she have help me sometimes, and I have help her.  We have stood together in past.  But Shampoo not think that ever happen again."

                The Matriarch's eyes softened.  "I understand, Shampoo.  But remember, she would never have forgiven you anyway, once she lost Ranma to you."

                Shampoo made a sound halfway between a snort and a sigh.  "But if that what ended things, would have Ranma right here with me, to comfort me.  Way things are now, I have to stay away, leave him alone for next way too long.  That also does not help my mood any."

                "Patience is a virtue."  Cold comfort, Cologne knew.  "It is necessary that you not seek Ranma out over the next few days.  If he should come here, well, that's a different story.  But you need to leave him alone while the Tendos and his father rage at him and demand that he do something about you."

                "I know Great-Grandmother say that, but it not make sense!  I not want to leave Ranma alone while stupid fathers talk poison about me!  Not want to let them walk over him and yell at him and blame him for what I do!  Want to be there for Ranma now, show him who really care for him, help him not have so hard time!"

                "I know that, child."  Cologne paused for emphasis.  She hadn't explained several important details of the plan to Shampoo, but now seemed like a good time.  Putting all the intensity into her tone that she could muster, she said, "But for Ranma's sake, that would be a _horrible error in judgment."_

                Shampoo rocked backward as if struck, coming close to actually falling from her chair.  "What... what you mean, Great-Grandmother?!" she croaked.

                Having delivered a bold statement that came as a great shock, Cologne felt it was now time for a seemingly-irrelevant digression.  It might annoy her youngest descendent, but Shampoo would probably rather be annoyed than depressed anyway.  "As you know, in my younger days I traveled all over the world."

                "Was very impressive sight watching pyramids be built?"  Shampoo was more annoyed at the digression than Cologne had expected.  The elder opted to respond with a cackle rather than a swat.

                "That's a story for another day.  I was going to tell you about something I encountered in the Creole swamps of Northern America.  There are chefs there that cook all sorts of slimy swamp critters--snails, eels, alligators, frogs.  Bullfrog's legs in particular are quite the delicacy in those parts.

                "There are a number of ways to prepare them.  One of these requires the whole frog be boiled... alive."

                Shampoo winced and tried not to picture it.  Cologne noted her reaction and smiled inscrutably.  "It's not quite as bad as you're thinking, Great-Granddaughter.  If you drop a frog into boiling water, it will either jump out, or struggle so much that the meat is ruined anyway.  No, the chefs are more subtle than that.  They place a frog in a pot of cold water, and turn the heat up under it, slowly, gradually.  The frog just keeps swimming, never realizes what is happening... until it is too late."

                "What was point of gruesome story?" Shampoo wanted to know.

                "It's quite simple."  Cologne cranked her gaze back up to maximum intensity.  "What _we are doing is just the reverse of what those Cajun chefs do.  Ranma is the frog, and his typical life is the pot of water.  It has been heating for quite some time... but not quickly enough for him to realize that what is happening will ultimately destroy him._

                "But things are changing now.  We'll likely need to prod them again after awhile, but I promise you, Shampoo, Son-in-law WILL find life at the Tendos becoming too hot for him to take.  It will happen relatively quickly, quickly enough that he will leave before he is broken under the strain."

                "That is why you not want me to go there, to be with him right now, to help him in hard time?"

                "Yes."  Cologne's eyes glittered.  "For all our sakes, it is time for this damnable status quo to end."

                Silence fell, as Shampoo mulled over these new thoughts.  She had to admit, it comforted her a little now that she could put it into perspective.  It was just like a particularly hard training exercise--Ranma might endure some pain as a direct result of her actions, pain that she couldn't immediately help to ease... but it would be of the kind that makes one stronger in the end.

                There was one other thing that was bothering her, though.  "What about other girls, Great-Grandmother?  Understand how this will finally get rid of Akane and whole rest of Tendo family.  But what about new arrivals?  Kaede and take-out girl?  Even spatula girl Ukyo might try get back in race if she learn Ranma leave the Tendos for good!"

                "Do not concern yourself with them, Shampoo.  Ultimately, it will come down to one simple question... who has given the most to Ranma?  Who is able to give him the most?"

                "Is two questions," Shampoo pointed out.

                "But only one answer."  Cologne smiled back.  "Your husband is a Warrior, Shampoo, with all that that entails.  Can you truly see him languishing his life away in a restaurant, or wasting his gift pent up in a dojo, teaching the crudest basics of the Art to half-interested youngsters?"

                Shampoo shook her head violently.  "Would be too too big waste!  Ranma never throw life away like that!"

                "Not once he finally quits hiding his head in the sand and faces the realities before him," Cologne agreed.  "Which of his admirers can walk down the paths to Mastery beside him?  The only one beside yourself who can match his drive and dedication is the Hayashibara girl, and she came onto the scene too late."

                "You sure Kaede will not be problem?" Shampoo asked.  Hesitantly, she continued, "I do not think I could give to her what Akane get.  Even in one short time, she earn more of Shampoo's respect than any Japanese girl ever do."

                "I agree that she is worthy of respect.  Had she come earlier, she would likely have been a serious threat.  But consider all that we have given to Son-in-law.  Were it not for us, he would still be shorn of his strength after Happi's little trick with the Ultimate Weakness point.  I am certain the boy doesn't really realize just how much of his improvement can be laid directly at our feet... but the time is coming soon for me to subtly make him aware of it."

                "Great-Grandmother, you not want to put him through more training like when you teach Amaguriken!" Shampoo said emphatically.  "Was something we talked about during date.  Get more stressful training like that dumped on him would not make him look at Amazons with favor!  Ow!"

                This time, Cologne hadn't held back from the swat.  "Don't teach Granny to suck eggs, Shampoo.  I will offer some lesser technique that can be taught without much stress, and I will offer it to him free and clear, no strings attached, telling him that it's our way of making up to him for the increased tension he is under in the Tendo household.  In fact..." her eyes narrowed, "perhaps I will offer to teach him alongside yourself.  Would you like to learn something new, Great-Granddaughter?  Something that you could share with your husband?"

                Shampoo clapped her hands excitedly.  "Is good!  Thank you, Great-Grandmother!"  With every bit of her more usual bubbly good humor in evidence once again, she got up and headed outside.  If she was going to be training with Ranma soon, Shampoo knew she needed every edge she could get.

                "Such enthusiasm," Cologne said with a chuckle as her youngest descendent left the building.  "I'm glad to see you happy, Shampoo."  And she was; glad to see her great-granddaughter happy at the thought of progressing further in the Art, glad all the more that Shampoo had forgotten her remorse at the rift separating her from one of the few people here who had been something of a friend...

                After musing on that for a little while, she murmured, "Perhaps it may be time for some further changes as well..."

***************

                "Shampoo, would you like to go out with me?... No, she never says yes when I ask her like that."

                "Shampoo, I've got tickets to the movies.  Is there anything you'd like to see?... No, wait, the last time I did that she took both the tickets and gave the other one to Ranma."

                "Shampoo, how about going with me to a new restaurant I found?  It'll be nice to try something different!... No, if I sound like I might be criticizing the old mummy's cooking, she'll just splash me and stuff me in that cage."

                "Shampoo, you've been in such a good mood since yesterday.  We should go out and celebrate!"

                Mousse considered that line, looking at it from every angle.  It seemed promising.  This choice of words would show Shampoo that he cared enough about her to take note of her feelings, it would let her decide where they should go, and it would leave a nice opening for her to explain just why she was in such a good mood.

                He'd spent most of the previous afternoon running errands for Cologne, and when he'd returned he had found Shampoo especially cheerful.  Only the imminence of the dinner rush, which had ended up lasting longer than usual, had kept Mousse from asking the love of his life out on a date right then and there.  He'd gone to bed hoping her good mood would last for at least one more day, and so far his luck seemed to be holding.

                It was early afternoon now.  Cologne and Mousse were the only two people currently in the Cat Café; dine-in customers had been sparse today, but delivery orders had come at an usually frequent pace.  In fact, Shampoo had just left on another round of deliveries, packing four separate orders on her bike.  Mousse hoped these would be the last, since as far as he was concerned he'd already had to wait too long to make his offer.

                He heard the tap-tapping of the Matriarch's approach, and quickly resumed wiping the tabletop.  It didn't really need it, but not looking busy would just be asking for trouble.

                "Enough, Mousse.  Let it go for now.  I need to talk to you about something else."

                The novelty of being told NOT to work by Cologne, when he was on the clock, nearly floored the Chinese boy.  Collecting his scattered wits, he realized this was probably just the prelude to another round of errands that the old woman would 'request' he undertake for her.  "Yes?  What is it?"  He did his very best not to sound impatient or upset, but blast it all! he didn't WANT any more delays while Shampoo was in such a good mood, probably secretly just waiting for him to notice and ask her about it!

                Cologne regarded him through half-lidded eyes.  "You have complained about something many times in the past... and I have now decided that, this once, you are correct."

                Mousse blinked, a joyful grin spreading across his features.  "Then you've finally realized just how wrong that scum Ranma Saotome is for my beloved Shampoo?!"

                The Matriarch allowed herself one weary sigh.  It sounded like the whisper of air that stirs in an ancient cavern when the mountain atop it groans and settles.  "No, Mousse.  A different complaint you have made."  A slight edge entering into her voice, she continued, "There have been so many, I don't suppose it's any wonder you'd guess wrongly which one I meant."

                The half-blind boy responded to that remark with as respectful and humble a silence as he could manage.  Cologne resumed speaking.  "I was referring to your opinion that running this restaurant is simply too big a burden for just the three of us."

                "Y- you're going to hire more help?"  Mousse uttered the words as if in a dream, a blissful dream in which several faceless Japanese (girls of course, not guys--they had no right to such proximity to his goddess) took over Shampoo's delivery duties and aided in waiting tables, leaving plenty of slack time for himself and his darling.

                "Hire?  Don't be ridiculous, boy."  With a flick of Cologne's wrist, an envelope materialized in one hand.  She extended this toward Mousse.  "There are several Amazons in your generation who would benefit from traveling abroad.  You are to take this back to our village, and deliver it to the Matriarch-in-training, that she might choose the ones who she thinks are most ready and send them to join us here."

                Mechanically Mousse reached out to take the document.  As his fingers closed about the paper, he seemed to break free of his daze.  "What?!  Why make ME do this?!  What's stopping you from sending it the usual way?!"

                "Are my motivations really any concern of yours?" Cologne asked mildly.  Too mildly, but Mousse was in no fit shape to stop and analyze subtle cues.

                No, he was too caught up in his outrage at this development.  "I won't go!  You're just trying to get me out of here, so you can start shoving Shampoo even harder at that coward Ranma!  And now you're even getting more Amazons here to help you force this stupid plan along!  Forget it, I'm not going!!"

                Silence fell.  Cologne let it stretch for a bit, then, in the same casual conversational tone as before, she remarked, "Open the letter and read what it says, Mousse."

                He did so, his outrage already beginning to fade in the face of the Matriarch's measured response.  As it subsided, the merest trickle of cold fear began to work its way down his backbone.  He pushed it aside as he focused on the wording of the missive.

                Mousse skimmed past Cologne's greeting to her great-granddaughter, past the polite wishes that this letter would find the Matriarch-in-training in good health, read over the instructions that she would select several Amazons Shampoo's own age who were friendly with her and send them along with a chaperone, glanced over the list of suggested names... and then froze as he read the concluding paragraph.

                "That is correct, boy."  Somehow, Cologne's mild tone made it worse.  "As of now, my patience is officially at an end.  You came here without permission.  You have continued as you did in our village, threatening those who show an interest in Shampoo.  You have done your best to disrupt her lawful marriage to Ranma Saotome, and this despite the clear wishes of Shampoo herself.  You have pressed your luck time and time again... and now it has run out."

                The words of the letter's conclusion, in which Cologne instructed her protégé that until further notice Mousse was explicitly denied permission to leave Amazon lands, swam dizzyingly before his mind's eye.  A voice he didn't really recognize as his own croaked, "You can't... can't do this..."

                "Interesting words from a child of a lesser family to the Matriarch of the tribe," Cologne said evenly.  She abandoned the mild tone then, and her words cracked like a whip.  "Choose your response carefully now, boy, for what you say and do in this next moment reflects upon ALL your family!"

                Mousse paled until his face nearly matched his robes.  For Cologne to say that...  He would risk anything, defy any odds, face any danger to himself for the sake of his future with Shampoo... but when the Matriarch involved his family, that changed things.  For certain crimes in Amazon society, though the punishment might stop with the perpetrator, the shame and stigma didn't... and how convenient that an Elder had the power to judge when such a violation had occurred...

                Cologne spoke again, each word driving into him now as nails in a coffin lid.  "You will leave Nerima today.  You will not seek out Ranma Saotome, nor Shampoo.  Their affairs are their own, boy; you should have seen that for yourself a long time ago.  And I will brook no more interference from you."

                Just for a moment Mousse closed his eyes, picturing the damned dried-up old crone's body broken on the floor, crushed under countless weights, cut and pierced and finally out of his way.  But just picturing it changed nothing, and he knew what his chances were of actually bringing about such an outcome:  exactly zero.  He would not shame his entire family by making so stupid a mistake.

                This time, he couldn't even speak the words out loud.  Cologne had to settle for a whispered, "The Matriarch's will be done."

***************

                It was with an utter lack of surprise that Ranma found himself atop the Tokyo Tower, with his surroundings tinged with the unmistakable ethereal quality that signified another dream.

                He wasn't surprised, because by now he was pretty sure he'd gotten these things figured out--they were some kind of stress-relief technique he'd subconsciously come up with.  After a series of stressful days, or one really bad one, he could almost be sure that he'd experience a night of escape, which would burn off enough of the strain to leave him in a better mood again the next morning.

                The way the last few days had gone, tonight's dream had its work cut out for it.

                Ranma figured he understood Shampoo's reasons for doing what she did, and he basically approved.  The tomboy NEEDED a wake-up call like that!  If she was gonna call herself a martial artist, she really should live up to it.  And even putting that aside, just look at all the times she got kidnapped!  He still remembered how it had been when he finally fought his way through to Kirin, the leader of the Seven Lucky Gods martial artists.  Akane had been standing there all meek and submissive, dolled-up in a wedding outfit, not putting up any fight at all.  Sure he saved her bacon, but what if he'd been delayed?  Heck, what if that whole mess had happened when he was off on a two-week training trip?!

                He knew what Soun's answer to that would be.  The Tendo patriarch had made it abundantly clear that he was now holding Ranma personally responsible for keeping his baby girl safe, twenty-four/seven.  Any training trip he took had darn well better be planned for two, as far as Soun was concerned... and he _didn't_ mean Ranma and Genma.

                Speaking of which, his father wasn't being quite so obnoxious, but Genma's response was plenty annoying in its own way.  The Saotome elder's point of insistence was that Ranma had to get serious about training Akane.  As far as Genma was concerned, the main import of Shampoo's challenge was that it had shown just how badly Akane needed further training.  And who better to guide her along the harsh path of martial righteousness than her honor-bound fiancé?

                However, Akane had made it abundantly clear that she didn't agree.

                Ever since she woke up, the youngest Tendo had spent most of her free time in the dojo or the yard, training.  It had been with an almost physical sense of pain that Ranma had observed her doing the same old exercises as before.  It wasn't a total waste of time--she was throwing much more of herself into the routines than usual, and she was spending more effort on katas than on punching and kicking stationary objects--but it was nowhere near the kind of training she needed for optimal improvement.

                But when he had tried to do what Genma wanted, approaching her in the dojo and pointing this out to her, she had unceremoniously thrown him out before he could even get to an offer to help her.  Akane had stared at him with a cold fury that he'd never seen in her before, and told him to his face that she didn't want him around now.  That this was her affair, and she didn't need his 'damned so-called help'.

                Hearing that certainly hadn't improved Ranma's mood any.  When Genma blew off Akane's declaration, ordering his son to get back in there and force her to let him aid her, it only made things worse.  And this evening, when Soun and Genma both cornered him and started going on again about how he needed to get rid of the Amazons once and for all, something finally snapped.  For once finding a serious measure of backbone in the face of the duo's expectations, he'd yelled back that from all he'd heard so far, Shampoo had had every right to do what she did, and that they were both hypocrites if they had a problem with it.

                He hadn't been aware that Akane was within earshot.  Nor had he even seen the punch coming.

                Which brought him to where he was now, staring up at the night sky and really looking forward to getting away.

                ~_They're really putting you through the wringer, aren't they._~  He felt sympathy resonating through the words, with perhaps a hint of sorrow behind them.  Turning, Ranma found his enigmatic companion had apparently slipped up on him unnoticed.

                "No joke," he grumbled.  "I am so ready to get out of here, it's not even funny."

                ~_Glad I can help, then._~  His wings formed, and Ranma took to the air.  ~_Your choice, Ranma.  Would you rather explore the sky or the sea?_~

                He'd already considered it, and had his answer ready.  "Tonight I'd like to fly.  I wanna feel myself getting away from here as fast as possible."

                Unspoken was his desire to do this without resorting to a teleport shift, but his companion sensed it anyway.  The darkness shot forward, taking the lead.  As Ranma moved instinctively to follow, the other began climbing swiftly.  ~_Then let's GO!_~

                A few thousand feet later, they broke into a jet stream, at which point Ranma found himself more than satisfied with the speed of his departure.  They flew in silence for a peaceful, timeless interval, at times with the earth visible far below them in drastically reduced miniature, at others riding above the topmost levels of massive cloudbanks, skimming and twisting around the fancifully-shaped cumulal peaks.

                Eventually, though, a more purposeful air settled onto Ranma's companion.  The other took the lead once more, and began a gradual descent.  Ranma sensed a change in the quality of the dream, but didn't pay it much mind.  The rush of flight had left him at peace, free for the moment of curiosity or concern.

                They were over the ocean now, moving with speed enough that the waves blurred beneath them, and continuing to lose altitude.  Ranma wondered vaguely whether this was about to transition into an underwater episode after all, and decided he wouldn't really mind.  It was pretty difficult to tell with any precision, but this dream already seemed to have lasted as long as any of them ever did.  He'd gotten in enough flying that if his companion wanted to swim again, he wouldn't object.

                However, that was not the case.  Up ahead there was a darker mass rising up from the water; they had come upon land once again.  Ranma recognized the silhouette of Mt. Fuji, and realized they were returning to Japan.  As their speed lessened and they sank lower, traveling over mountains and hills and forests, he began to feel a glimmer of dissatisfaction.  Somehow, he could sense that they were heading directly toward Nerima.  He might have to go back there when he woke up, but Ranma felt like this time should be spent apart from such things.

                However, the lights of Tokyo were not yet upon them when the pair landed.  They came to rest in the midst of a forest.  Ranma glanced around, wondering just why they were here, and what would happen now... and through the trees he caught a glimpse of something strange.  It had been white, but at the same time there had been a hint of darkness, some sort of darkness as noticeable as his companion, yet fundamentally different.  Fundamentally repulsive.

                ~_Go, Ranma.  You need to see this._~

                The words almost seemed hesitant, as if the other wasn't quite sure of the instructions.  Ranma paused, and sent a querying look toward what seemed to be the general center of his personal patch of sentient shadow; when no more response was forthcoming, he turned and slipped through the trees.

                A few steps brought him to the edge of a clearing.  Ranma stopped on the edge of this and stared, although doing so made him feel a sick churning in his gut.

                The glimpse of white was understandable now... it had been Mousse's robes.  There was a bitter grimace on the Chinese boy's face, but Ranma didn't notice.  His brow was wet with sweat, and his robes clung to his back, but Ranma didn't see.  In fact, he barely paid enough attention to realize Mousse had a sword in either hand, or that he was striking alternating blows against a makeshift post crudely fashioned to resemble the Saotome heir.

                Ranma's attention was riveted instead on the shadowy haze that seethed around Mousse, roiling and boiling and turbulent.  But those qualities served only as the barest, most marginal of similarities between the sight before him and the appearance of his mysterious, faithful companion; whereas Ranma's guide was an intense blackness that seemed like a hole in the fabric of the universe, the shadows around Mousse were faint, nearly invisible, noticeable only because they seemed to radiate a repulsive feeling of wrongness.

                ~_I'm letting you see with my vision, Ranma.~_  He turned toward the voice, no longer wanting to see Mousse or his abominable aura, preferring a more comforting sort of darkness.  ~_I told you before, things change.  All too often we can't stop it.  All we can do is go forward, and cope with changes as best we can.~_  The barest hint of hesitancy came through again on those words, and Ranma sensed the other's attention shift from himself to Mousse.  Inexplicably, just for a moment he felt an awful tension in the air...

                ...Then his companion's attention turned back to himself.  ~_What you saw was the ugliness of his emotional state.  The darkness in his heart, Ranma.  The anger.  The poisoned jealousy.  The hatred.  The will to kill.~_

                The world around him shifted and tumbled.  Ranma sat up with a gasp.

                Morning sunlight streamed through his window.  He glanced around, orienting himself, then slowly sank back down onto his futon.  His companion's parting whisper still echoed in his mind.

                ~_He means to finish you this time, Ranma.  Don't let your guard down..._ _I refuse to lose you like this…_~

***************

                In a quiet corner of a park in Nerima, a bonfire was burning merrily.  A girl knelt beside it, staring contemplatively down into the flames, caring not a whit about the numerous city ordinances she was breaking.  After a bit, Kaede's attention switched from the fire to the package of chestnuts she held in one hand.  Slowly and steadily, she reached over with her free hand and tore open the packet.  Another few moments of silent contemplation passed, broken at last by a muttered oath of "All or nothing," followed by a quick series of deep breaths.

                Kaede tossed the chestnuts into the flames, paused for a few seconds, brought herself into utmost focus... and then gave a scream of defiance as her hands lashed out, blurring from visibility as she gathered nut after nut from the fire.  She could feel the heat building against her hands, the effect only mitigated somewhat by the momentary withdrawals back into cooler air... but then, the last nut was in her grasp and she was pulling free of the flames, her hands still unsinged (except for a mild scorching on her palms from direct contact with the hot nutshells).

                She knelt there, head bowed, with her eyes glittering and a fierce smile on her face.  Kaede had followed Ranma's suggestion for training in this, working her way forward one chestnut at a time.  After a few days of intense training, she realized something... each subsequent nut was coming more easily than the one before it.  She still wasn't sure exactly _how_ she was doing it, but she had clearly crossed whatever mysterious boundary had allowed her to use her own chi to boost her speed.

                Prior to this morning, Kaede's best record had been four short of the number that had been in this package.  But just now, as she had stared down into the flames, she'd found herself unwilling to pay even lip service to prudence.  All the nuts had gone into the flames, and all the nuts had come out again.  And their meat was the only flesh that had been cooked in the process.

                "I don't believe this!"  The agonized wail came from several feet off to one side, causing Kaede to jump.  "Why can't I ever get where I'm going?!  How could I get THIS lost?!"

                Kaede craned her neck around, looking for the speaker.  She identified him easily enough--a muscular, travel-worn boy with an umbrella and a backpack, looking up at the heavens with an expression of mingled woe, frustration, and anger.  Before she could say anything, the boy continued his tirade.  "I was just trying to get back to Akane!  How the hell did I wind up in CHINA?!"

                Ranma's newest fiancée blinked.  "Excuse me?  Run that by me again.  What on earth makes you think you're in China?"

                Her words seemed to startle him.  The boy stared at her for several seconds before pulling himself together.  "Ah... isn't that where I am?  The Bayankhala mountain range?"  Kaede shook her head.  "Aren't you an Amazon?"

                "WHAT?!" Kaede screeched, shooting to her feet.  "Where'd you come up with that?!"

                Ryoga gestured haplessly toward the fire.  "Um, well, training for the Amaguriken...?"  He let the words trail off.

                Kaede snorted.  "Do I _look Chinese to you?"_

                "Well, no," he admitted.  Or sound Chinese either; it had been quite a surprise when she'd first replied to him in his own language.  "So I'm still in Japan?" he asked hopefully.

                "Yes, you're still in Japan," she confirmed, rolling her eyes.  "Last time I checked, it wasn't exactly possible to WALK to China from here."

                "You'd be surprised," Ryoga muttered sullenly.

                "So how'd you know about the Amaguriken?" Kaede asked.  "Who are you, anyway?"

                Ryoga began to sweat.  "Ah... I'm Ryoga Hibiki."  He opted not to admit that he'd learned the details from Akane shortly after the Bakkusai Tenketsu training, when she told her wayward P-chan about the big things that had happened since the last time he disappeared.  "And my greatest rival uses that move."

                Kaede stared at him.  "Your greatest rival is Shampoo?  Wow, you must really believe in the equality of women."

                "Not Shampoo!" Ryoga squawked.  "I'm talking about Ranma!  Ranma Saotome!"

                At which point Kaede could no longer hold in her laughter.  "Ha!  Gotcha!" she said, between snickers.  "That's who I figured you meant.  Same thing with me, except he's my fiancé, not my rival."

                "Ha, ha.  Very fun--"  The lost boy froze as her words registered.  "Excuse me... did you say Ranma is your _fiancé_?!"

                "Yeah, that's right."

                Ryoga stood trembling for a moment, then reared his head back and yelled to the sky, "Curse you, Ranma!  How many more girls do you want?!  How dare you insult Akane like this?!"

                "Excuse me?" his companion said sharply.  "What exactly is your problem?"

                "My problem?!" Ryoga repeated incredulously.  "My problem is that every time I think Ranma can't sink any lower, he goes and surprises me!  He's got a great fiancée like Akane, a wonderful person, someone a hundred, no, a THOUSAND times better than he deserves... and all that scumbag can do is treat her like dirt and go chasing after other girls!"

                Kaede glared at him.  "For someone who's supposed to be Ranma's 'greatest rival', you sure as hell don't know much about him, do you?  It's his _dad's fault that there's so many girls chasing him!"_

                The lost boy gave a snort of utter disdain.  "Yeah, sure.  If he was a real man, he would've thrown you ALL away instead of leading you on and insulting Akane!"

                "Listen, Hibiki, I think maybe you need a wake-up call.  If some delicate little flower like Akane Tendo is what you want in a girl, then fine.  More power to you.  But a guy like Ranma shouldn't be weighted down with a ball and chain like her!"

                "Excuse me?" Ryoga said, calmly and quietly.  Ever so casually, he let his umbrella drop to the ground and slipped out of his backpack.  "What are you trying to say about Akane, exactly?"

                Kaede paused, taking a good long look at him.  Despite Ryoga's calm façade, she could clearly see smoldering anger in his eyes.  '_Seems like this bozo's got a crush on her.  Well, well.  Looks like I've got a chance to try out my new training._'  If he was a rival of Ranma's, he ought to be good for a decent fight... at least, after she'd given him the proper motivation.

                "I'm trying to say that as far as I can tell, she's nothing but a joke.  She's supposed to be the _heir to a __school, for crying out loud!  The level she's at now, I could've beaten her five years ago!"  Kaede saw the anger rising higher in Ryoga's eyes, and responded with a mocking grin.  "You think Ranma should've given everyone else the push so he could kiss up to a silly little princess like her?  Do you even KNOW the guy you said was your greatest rival?!  I think you've got as much to learn as Miss Tendo does about being a REAL martial artist!"_

                Ryoga's fingers twitched, and only with some effort did he stop himself from reaching for his umbrella.  He wasn't about to let this girl get away with what she'd said, but that would be going too far.  Instead, he drew himself into an empty-handed ready position.  "Normally I don't fight girls... but this time, I think I'll make an exception!"

                Kaede rolled her eyes as he charged, sidestepping casually.  "Geez, you wearing cement shoes or something, Hibiki?  I've seen turtles with a better rate of speed."

                The lost boy stopped and spun around.  He didn't immediately charge again, though, instead focusing an intense scrutiny on Kaede.  "What, have I got something on my nose?" she asked sarcastically.

                Eventually Ryoga shook his head.  This sure _felt familiar--him charging, his target getting out of the way and insulting him at the same time--but there was just no way this could actually BE a disguised Ranma-chan.  The similarities in behavior must just be due to his rival rubbing off on this girl.  Which doubtless explained why she was so ready to insult Akane and blow her off, too!  Not only did Ranma mistreat Akane (not to mention Ryoga himself), the jerk was even corrupting his harem to do the same thing!_

                Thinking about his foe's crimes brought Ryoga's fighting spirit back to a boil.  He hadn't been using anything like his full speed when he first charged, preferring to spend at least a little time at the beginning of the fight feeling out this new opponent.  Time to change that.  "For Akane!" he yelled, and raced forward again, much more quickly.

                Kaede dodged again, with no more effort than before; the increased speed was more than offset by the warning Ryoga's battle-cry had afforded her.  The lost boy shot past, already skidding toward a stop.  Before he could recover, Kaede took the opportunity to dart in and drive a high, hard kick into his upper back.

                Ryoga stumbled forward.  Kaede stumbled backward.  Both recovered at about the same time.  Ryoga turned back to face her, smirking a little at the gaping shock on Kaede's face.  "What the hell are you made of?!" she demanded.

                He didn't bother answering, reaching up instead and removing several bandanas from his forehead.  She boggled again at this new twist, only barely managing to recover and dodge as Ryoga sent them hurtling her way.

                Out of the corner of her eye, Kaede noticed one of the bandanas snap through a thick tree branch. Ryoga had actually thrown the missiles with a good bit less force than he was capable of; the branch had been both dead and rotten.  But his opponent wasn't able to make out those details, and all she thought was that for someone who 'normally didn't fight girls', this Ryoga sure didn't seem to be holding back from the power attacks.  "Okay, tough guy, you want to play dirty?!" she snarled, whipping out her sai and tonfa.  "Fine, I can do that!"

                Ryoga took several steps backward.  The tonfa he couldn't care less about, but he didn't think his Bakkusai Tenketsu-granted toughness would protect him from a cutting edge.  '_I didn't want it to go this far_,' he thought unhappily.  '_I can't believe this has gotten out of control so quickly.  What kind of a martial artist am I?'_

                Kaede noted with satisfaction that her opponent's attention was fixed entirely on the sai.  She wasn't quite ready to actually attack with it, but to use it as a distraction and then beat her foe silly with her tonfa seemed like an excellent plan...  She blinked, suddenly recognizing the distinct sensation that was building up in the air...

                "SHI SHI HOKODAN!"  Ryoga released the angst he'd gathered in one powerful blast, much weaker than the Perfect form of the move, but significantly stronger than Ranma had used when he faced Kaede.

                Recognition of the condensing chi had come almost too late.  Only Kaede's newly-enhanced speed allowed her to drop the sai and tonfa and shoot her hands forward, employing her countertechnique.  She absorbed as much of the chi as she could, leaving the rest to scatter in coruscating sparks.  Before they could even begin to fade, Kaede reached down and grabbed her weapons from midair, returned the sai to its sheath, and came rocketing forward.

                The recent speed-enhancing training she had undergone showed dramatically now.  Not even her fiancé in female form could have matched Kaede's velocity.  She closed the distance to Ryoga in the blink of an eye, and whirled around and around him, striking out with the tonfa and landing dozens and dozens of blows in the space of each second.  His enhanced endurance kept him from being knocked unconscious, but by the time Kaede's boost ran out, he was stunned and reeling and badly punch-drunk, aching as if he'd body-surfed down a mountainside in an avalanche.

                "Damn, that sucked," Kaede said, making a revolted face.  "You actually use chi like that?  You're one sick puppy, Hibiki.  I feel like I just took a bath in toxic sludge or something."

                "Dammit... I will not lose... like this..."  Brave words, but his body didn't seem to want to cooperate.  Ryoga's right knee chose that moment to give out, the effect of one of Kaede's previous shiatsu strikes finally making itself felt.  There was a roaring behind his ears, the world was beginning to spin in dizzying circles, and the faintest traces of darkness were creeping in at the edges of his vision.

                Ryoga didn't try to fight the sensations, embracing them instead.  '_I... I'm going to lose... I've failed you, Akane... how can I even call myself a man if I can't stand up for you..._'  A picture of the girl of his dreams rose in his mind's eye, Akane crying, devastated, alone, with no one to protect her or care for her...

                The distinct sensation of chi pooling and gathering about her foe came again, immensely stronger than before.  Kaede hid her fear under a piercing glare, which Ryoga was too caught up in his misery to see.  "Oh no, you don't!!" she snarled, racing forward as fast as she could and jamming a finger into his Instant Unconsciousness pressure point.  The lost boy collapsed, and the gathering chi dispersed harmlessly, and Kaede sank tremblingly to the ground beside him.

                She let out a long sigh of relief.  Incongruously, her thoughts drifted back to something Shampoo had said, how it had always been Ranma who got the strong, determined rivals.  "Damn, I guess she knew what she was talking about."  Deciding that she didn't really want to be here when Ryoga awakened, Kaede got back to her feet, headed over to kick dirt into her fire, and walked briskly away.

                It didn't take her too long to recover her equilibrium, though... this was hardly the first dangerous opponent she'd bested.  By the time she'd made it out of the park, Kaede was mainly experiencing satisfaction at her triumph.  She even found herself looking forward all the more to her upcoming meeting with Ranma in a few days, and anticipating his response when she oh-so-casually happened to mention her latest victory to him.

***************

                The afternoon sun was sinking low, its face already hidden by tall buildings, when Ranma bid Kaede goodbye.  His mind was filled with thoughts of the new technique she'd shared with him.  She'd gone pretty deep into theory, and the things she had talked about hadn't really meshed well with the stuff he'd recently learned from Kaori; since he was still working to master that, Ranma had decided to just commit this new bit of lore to memory and put it aside for the moment.  He'd come back to it once he'd mastered the Daikoku Secure Delivery.

                His teachers at Furinkan would have been envious if they could have known the effort Ranma was putting into memorizing these instructions.  His preoccupation was such that he'd covered almost four blocks' distance before the nagging sense at the back of his mind managed to make itself felt.

                Even as had been the case on the day he met Kaede, Ranma sensed that someone was watching him, the feeling stronger and less pleasant than had happened anytime in the recent past.  He slowed down as he realized this, but didn't quite come to a complete stop.  As surreptitiously as he could, the pigtailed martial artist glanced around.  No sight of anyone suspicious... but then, there were so many people on the street, it was hard to see for any distance.

                He sped back up to his typical walking pace.  The sensation stayed with him, growing neither weaker nor stronger over the next two blocks.  At the end of this time, Ranma was beginning to get rather annoyed.  He changed his course, angling toward a part of town where there was generally less traffic in the lanes.  The sensation faded, but didn't disappear; this plus the fact that he still couldn't detect his stalker made him suspect the other had just increased the distance between them.

                After a few moments of silent debate, the Saotome heir changed his course yet again.  Ten minutes of leisurely walking brought him to the edge of a park.  He made his way into this, stopping once he reached a wide open area out of sight of passersby in the surrounding streets.  If his pursuer had been waiting for Ranma to reach some empty place that would serve as a good battlefield, he or she ought to seize this opportunity.

                Only a few minutes passed before Mousse stalked forward out of a patch of trees.

                "What took you so long?" Ranma asked sardonically.  "I felt you starin' down the back of my neck thirty minutes ago."

                "You're right," Mousse said quietly.  "I did take too long.  _Way too long."  He pulled a long, wickedly-curved scimitar out of one sleeve and began a slow, measured advance.  "I should have done this months ago."_

                "That's it?" Ranma snorted, eyeing the Chinese boy with disdain.  "Just show up an' move in for the attack?  No stupid speeches about just what I did to tick you off?  No posturing about how Shampoo'll love you after this?  No honorable challenge, even?"

                "Like you're worth it," Mousse rasped.  He was twenty feet away now.

                Ranma's eyes narrowed, then his hands snapped forward.  "MOKO TAKABISHA!"

                Mousse was caught totally flat-footed.  The chi ball smacked into him and knocked him to the ground.  Ranma had deliberately thrown a particularly weak blast, though, so it didn't do much more than that.  He didn't even lose his grip on the sword.

                Ranma stared coldly at his opponent as the other got back to his feet.  "This is it, Mousse," he promised.  "I have had it up to here with your crap.  You put away that goddamn sword and walk away NOW, or I tell the old ghoul that I'll take Shampoo on five dates, her choice, anywhere she wants to go... after they send you back home for good."

                In response to this, Mousse simply laughed bitterly.  "Too late," he choked out, and then raced forward, sword coming up for a smashing overhead blow.

                Ranma tensed, not fooled for a moment by the act.  At first glance, this appeared to be almost the direct opposite of Mousse's usual style of tricks and misdirection.  But his battle-honed senses hadn't missed the fact that his foe's other hand was concealed within one long sleeve.  And so he wasn't surprised at all when Mousse released the sword when he was still eight feet away from Ranma, in a clumsy throw that the pigtailed boy didn't even need to dodge.  However, Ranma was already moving, coming forward and circling to one side in order to take himself out of alignment with the weapon Mousse had just pulled out with his other hand...

                The Saotome heir only had time for one blink of noncomprehension before Mousse depressed the button on the miniature boombox.  And then, as the air was filled with the yowls and screeches of angry cats, he didn't have time for anything but mindless panic.

                The terrible noise ended as quickly as it had begun.  Ranma's recovery, however, was nowhere near so instantaneous.  He pushed his way through a thick fog of disorientation, struggling to refocus on his surroundings.  It was only with a serious effort that he even managed to force his eyes open again.

                Everything seemed much taller, somehow.  Mousse was only a few feet away, looming over him like a giant, staring down with a horrible mixture of triumph, hatred, and anticipation.  The sight sent a thrill of fear rushing through him... but where instinct should have sent him leaping backward, he failed to do more than slightly tense his muscles.

                Simply shifting his head enough to glance down and realize that he was on his knees took an inordinate amount of effort.  At the same time, he realized that he couldn't feel them, nor any other part of his body.  With another tremendous effort, he forced his head up again, just in time to see Mousse slip one hand into the interior of his robe.

                "Step one was paralysis powder, if you're wondering," Mousse said conversationally, idly toying with something still concealed within his sleeve.  "Pretty impressive that you managed to land on your knees and keep your balance like that.  I think it actually suits you pretty well, Saotome.  Are you ready for step two?"  He paused to relish the moment, then whipped out the water pistol and pulled the trigger.

                "This would be a lot easier if you had a _real_ curse, you know.  Nobody'd even blink if a duck with a broken neck turned up in a ditch."  Rage seethed audibly through that last sentence.  Mousse forced himself to calm down, turning a thin smile on Ranma-chan as he spoke again.  "But I did think of a way around that.  I should even thank you, for never telling that psycho gymnast who the redhead she hates really is."  He produced one last item from the interior of his robes.  Ranma-chan's eyes widened at the sight of the gymnastics ribbon, the full impact of Mousse's words and intent finally hitting her.  "Step three pays for all.  Goodbye and good riddance, Saotome!"

                Mousse stepped forward, the ribbon pulled tight between his hands.  He had no real familiarity with the weapon, certainly not enough to choke Ranma-chan from a distance, but with his hated foe safely paralyzed, what difference did it make?

                At least from Mousse's perspective, it was a pity that the half-blind boy had forgotten how dangerous and inventive Ranma could be when pushed into a corner.  It was an even greater pity that he didn't, couldn't know about the lessons in chi control that the Saotome heir had learned from Kaori recently.

                Ranma-chan focused, desperately calling on her chi, remembering that it was an extension of her life force and a part of every bit of her--not simply something that had to be channeled through her hands.  She called upon everything she had... all her anger and fear and desperation and will to survive, summoning power, imagining the energy building within her and then blossoming outward...

                Mousse caught only the barest glimpse of a glow before the chi bloomed forth from Ranma-chan's torso, expanding outward away from her in a barely-controlled hemispherical blast.  The energy slammed into him, lifted him clear off his feet, and sent him flying like a rag doll.  He crashed unmoving to the ground.

                Meanwhile, Ranma-chan was struggling to retain consciousness.  She'd known she was putting a lot into that desperately-improvised attack, and now, with blackness hovering at the edges of her vision, she was paying the toll.  Desperately she clung to awareness, staring at Mousse's downed form.  He seemed no closer to recovery by the time she finally lost the battle, which left her with a little bit of hope to cling to as she slipped into the silent depths.

***************

                An uncertain time later, Ranma-chan opened her eyes again.  Shadows were lying thick across the ground, but the sight of the sky above made it clear that night hadn't fully fallen yet.  Slowly and carefully, she got back to her feet.  She consulted the watch she was carrying in one pocket, realizing with quite a lot of surprise that less than twenty minutes had passed since she fell unconscious.  She still felt weak from the chi drain, but she couldn't detect any remaining stiffness from the paralysis powder.

                Mousse didn't seem to be recovering nearly as quickly.  At least, he was still lying where he had fallen.  Ranma-chan cautiously approached, confirming that he was still breathing, and that he didn't seem critically injured.  She hesitated for a moment, wondering whether she should tie him up, then decided not to bother.  Quickly, and with anger smoldering hot within her, Ranma-chan left the park.

                She stopped at the first phone booth she saw, and placed a call to the Cat Café.

***************

                Five hours ago, he'd done quite a good job of pushing everything to the back of his mind after the confrontation with Mousse.  None of the Tendos had even noticed anything different in his manner.  But here and now, things were different.

The wind was cold around him.  The roar of the ocean was harsh, cacophonous, painful to hear.  He knelt in much the same position as he had those hours ago, except that this time his head was downcast, his eyes were shut tightly, and his fists were clenched.  Ranma was too far back for any of the ocean's spray to reach him, but saltwater glistened on his face anyway.

                On finding himself here, the first realization had been pleasure, as he realized that he was dreaming.  The second had been surprise--this one was starting out in a completely different area.  Rather than some part of Tokyo, he stood on some unfamiliar seashore, where waves broke against a rocky coast.  Those realizations had only taken a split second... and then, like a swiftly-rising tide, Ranma had felt something dark welling up within him.  The barriers he'd erected after Mousse's latest gambit, the walls that held back his reactions, had crumbled in an instant, leaving him on his knees, trembling with the repressed pain and rage and terror.

                ~_Don't hold it back._~

                He wasn't.  He couldn't.  Ranma didn't even acknowledge the voice, just knelt there and shook with the force of his grief.

                Even though he hadn't really heard the communication, though, something changed with the words.  Several more subjective minutes passed before he was able to recognize it... but the dark emotions were seeping out of him, disappearing much more swiftly and completely than should be possible, as if they were being forcibly condensed and carried away in his tears.

                Eventually, the last traces of hurt were gone.  Ranma drew a shuddering breath and opened his eyes.  It was with no surprise that he saw the familiar dark cloud not far off, hovering where the water met the sand.

                ~_Are you feeling better now?_~

                "I..."  He paused, considering.  "I feel empty."  The slightest of smiles appeared on his face.  "That's a lot better than I was feeling."

                ~_But it's not a good place to stop._~  A clear sense of beckoning emanated forth from the other.  _~Like I said before, it's your choice whether we swim or fly.  Whichever one appeals more to you.~_

                Ranma barely managed to swallow his initial response, which would have been "You sure about that?"  He had NO intention of throwing this opportunity away with a careless question.  Instead, he said, "Huh.  You know, it occurs to me that YOU might have kind of a preference.  Seein' as how we're here at the seashore."

                ~_There was a reason I brought you here,~_ his companion confirmed, _~but that's not it.  I mean it, Ranma.  Your choice entirely._~

                Sincerity had resonated through those words.  Ranma found himself convinced, although it didn't actually matter.  "Well, I think I'd rather swim tonight anyway."

                What followed seemed to stretch much longer than any dream he could remember.  Had he been in the mood for analysis and careful deduction, Ranma might have speculated that this was directly proportional to the stress he'd endured in the preceding day.  However, such concerns were the last thing on his mind.

                He lost himself in the sheer enjoyment and wonder of the experience, exploring coral reefs (glad that the general lack of light didn't keep him from clearly seeing the vivid colors), following a pod of dolphins for awhile and grinning at their playful antics, and just generally reveling in an environment so new and different from the everyday norm of his life.

                Eventually, there came a point when Ranma was content to just hang motionless deep in the water, closing his eyes and feeling the slow, steady, muted pulse of the waves far above him.  In the midst of the calmness, he remembered something overlooked.  "Thank you."

                ~_For what, exactly?_~

                He was in too good a mood to be annoyed, even at the reminder that it was only himself who couldn't ask questions.  "For the warning about Mousse."

                ~_It shouldn't have been necessary._~

                Ranma's eyes shot open.  He had heard real pain in that sentence, and anger... the first time he'd ever sensed such emotions from his companion.  He opened his mouth, but before he could ask "What do you mean?" the other was pulling away, diving swiftly.  ~_Follow me, Ranma.~_

                He did so, moving through the water now with a speed that he knew could never be matched in the waking world.  Ranma headed ever deeper, following on the heels (so to speak) of the billowing shadow.

                ~_That's far enough.~_  They were very deep now, in waters where no light had shone in mortal memory.  Ranma could still see his companion, though; the other stood out just as clearly in this deeper (but still mundane) darkness as against a common night sky.  Two long tendrils extended from the main cloud, arcing and joining into a sort of frame.  ~_Look closely.~_

                Within the frame images were forming, coalescing into a nighttime view of an empty alleyway.  Just as Ranma began wondering what the point of this could possibly be, a girl entered into the view.  She was dressed nicely, in clothes fit for a nightclub or perhaps a particularly high-quality karaoke bar.  The nervous expression on her face, however, didn't seem quite so attractive.  She was clearly not at her ease moving through this locale.  This was perfectly understandable, though... the way she moved made it clear to Ranma that this was no fighter.

                He watched as she continued down the alley.  The scene moved to keep track of her, showing her hesitancy and growing anxiety as she came upon an intersection with another narrow little street.  The girl stood shifting her weight from one foot to the next, peering down the different paths available.  It was clear that she was lost and trying not to admit it to herself, and equally clear that she didn't like the looks of any of the choices available to her.  Eventually she picked a path and hurried down it; this time, the scene held static as the girl passed from view.  A few moments later, and with a sense of inevitability, two figures came up from one of the paths she hadn't taken and hurried down the one she had.

                "I don't want to see this," Ranma whispered, his good mood vanished like dew under the scorching noonday sun.

                ~_Don't you?_~

                The scene jumped, centering around the girl again, terrified, her back against a wall, not even able to plead.  She just shook her head in mute denial.  The thugs weren't bothering to hurry now, just casually closing the distance toward her with identical grins on their faces.

                Behind them, the dimness of the alley suddenly darkened further.

                Strands of a familiar absolute blackness whipped forth, curling around the would-be predators' arms and legs above and below the elbow and knee, and then _flexing_.  Said limbs flexed along with them, bending in ways for which they definitely were not intended.  After one look at the expressions on the faces of the hunters-turned-prey, Ranma decided he was just as this vision didn't include sound.  No need to actually listen to the screams that might have ruptured his eardrums.

                Perhaps unsurprisingly, this new development only heightened the girl's terror.  She didn't have long to suffer, though... the scene gave a twisting lurch, and when it reformed, she was standing in a much nicer neighborhood, within sight of a brightly-lit apartment complex.  No sign remained of either the thugs who had threatened her or the one who had dealt with them.  She gaped, staring every which way, trying to recover her equilibrium.  And then, pulling herself together, the nameless girl raced ahead into the lobby.

                The visions faded, and the 'screen' dispersed.  "What--" Ranma stopped himself.  "I don't understand what that has to do with Mousse."

                ~_I know, Ranma.  But you will.  For now, just remember what you saw... and remember also that things aren't always as bad as they seem._~

***************

                The next day had passed uneventfully, for which Ranma was grateful.

                It was evening now.  He lay on his back on the Tendo rooftop, feeling the breeze gust past him.  The Saotome heir stared up into the sky, idly trying to pinpoint the emergence of the first star of night.  There yet remained some fading red hues above him, but they had mostly been replaced by purples shading toward true darkness.  Were it not for the lights of the surrounding city, he probably would already have been able to make out a few early stars.

                He wasn't really focusing too much attention on this endeavor, though.  For the most part, he was content to lie here and let his dinner digest, enjoying the peace and quiet and momentary freedom from jealous rivals coming within a hairsbreadth of actually killing him.  Ranma leaned back with his head in his hands, savoring this moment of tranquility, and trying to ignore the fact that he could clearly feel someone watching him.

                Ten minutes passed, and then ten more.  True dusk had fallen when she made her move.

                The first flicker of motion sent him rising smoothly toward his feet.  Despite the speed of his reaction, though, she was on the rooftop with him before Ranma was really prepared--clearing the wall with one blurring jump, bouncing into a tree with her second, and landing about five feet away from him just as he finished standing up.  She paused there, staring intently toward him in the dimness.

                "Hey, Shampoo," Ranma said, relaxing a little.  "Didn't expect to see you around here anytime soon."

                The Amazon didn't say anything or move closer, just stood there regarding him, her eyes seeming oddly bright in the general lack of light.  "You okay?" Ranma asked.

                She shook her head.  "No.  Am not."  Shampoo gulped.  "But came here to ask you that, Airen, not have you ask me.  Please tell Shampoo you is all right."

                "Yeah, I'm fine."  Ranma hesitated before asking awkwardly, "What's wrong with you?"

                "What is wrong?!" Shampoo kept her voice down, so as not to alert anyone in the house below, but the intensity came through clearly.  "What you think, Ranma?!  Mousse try to kill you yesterday!"

                "Ain't the first time," he pointed out.

                "But is first time he come so close."

                Ranma nodded his head, silently acknowledging the point.  "Yeah, I guess.  So how'd you know that anyway?  I didn't exactly go into a lotta detail on the phone."

                "Great-Grandmother..." Shampoo paused.  "She get details from Mousse.  Use variation on Xi Fang Gao, make him forget to do anything but answer questions full and true when someone ask."  The Amazon shook her head as if trying to dislodge the memories.  It had been one of the worst evenings she'd ever spent in Nerima, placing only a very close second to the night when she'd first witnessed Ranma's Jusenkyo transformation.

                She'd sat there in silence, feeling colder and colder as Mousse's emotionless voice described his actions.  How he had departed Japan on a ship bound for China, waited until he was certain the Matriarch was convinced that he was indeed obeying her orders, then triggered his curse and flown back to the mainland.  How he had hidden far enough from Nerima to avoid detection, practicing, planning, eventually settling on his course of action.  How he had used Ranma's ailurophobia to provide himself one perfect opening.  How he had intended to finish her beloved in such a way that no suspicion would ever fall upon himself.

                "I'm kinda surprised she was so gentle when she questioned him," Ranma said quietly.  "She really sounded unhappy when I told her just why I was calling."  This last was a serious understatement.  As soon as Ranma-chan had mentioned Mousse's name, the Matriarch's tone had dipped into subarctic temperatures, becoming a mixture of dire fury only just contained within a layer of iron-hard ice.  Ranma-chan had _intended_ to use the phone call as an opportunity to ask the Matriarch to send Mousse away for good, but Cologne's response had driven those thoughts right from the redhead's mind.  She had quickly given the bare details of where to find Mousse, confirmed that she'd left him there unconscious after a fight, and hung up.  Even now, a day later, the memory of the ancient Amazon's voice sent a chill down his backbone.

                "She save that for afterward," Shampoo whispered.  She sat down, half-turning to face the general direction of the Chinese mainland.  "You should know, Airen, she had already tell him to leave.  Had sent him back to village, to get better help here.  Told him he could no longer stay around and try to interfere with you and me."

                Ranma blinked.  '_So that's what he meant...'  He sat down as well, still facing Shampoo.  "So... what'd she do after she learned what really happened?"  He was more than half-afraid to hear, but if there was any chance Mousse might be free to plan another attempt, he wanted to know now._

                Shampoo didn't answer, just drew her knees up toward her chest.  She closed her eyes and rested her chin on them.  "Shampoo?" Ranma asked, a little louder, a little more hesitantly.  "What did she do to Mousse?"

                The Amazon drew a deep breath, and replied, "She break him."

                Ranma's throat and mouth were suddenly too dry for him to say anything.  In any case, Shampoo didn't let the silence stretch long before continuing.  "Use Ultimate Weakness attack she say old pervert Happosai once use on you, Airen.  For rest of life he no can even pick up most of usual weapons. That was start.

                "Next step was Xi Fang Gao.  Not weak harmless little thing like I do to Akane, either.  She take all his knowledge of fighting, all his techniques, all ability to focus chi, even basic will to fight and instinct for defend self, she seal these for good and for all.  Mousse will never be able to learn any part of the path of the warrior ever again.  Until end of his days he will be more harmless than too too nice girl Kasumi.

                "Then she trigger his curse, put him in cage, and mail him back to village.  Send letter too, so Matriarch-in-training knows just what happen."

                "Goddamn," Ranma whispered hollowly.  "That's... that's..."

                "Is what?"  Shampoo's head came up with a start, and she whirled to face him.  "Is too harsh?!  Too big punishment?!"

                "Seems like it," he muttered, looking away and fighting a feeling of guilt.  He'd wanted Mousse out of his hair for good... well, he'd gotten that, all right.

                Shampoo whipped her head from side to side in violent negation.  "No, Ranma.  Is NOT too big!  What would you do, if you had enemy that was too good for you to beat?  Would even think about walking up behind him in street and shoot him in back?"

                "Of course not!"

                "How that any different from what Mousse do?  With his eyesight, might have been exactly same thing happen.  He point gun, he pull trigger, he miss, you turn and take him down.  Same result that way as now; you here, unhurt, but could have been killed.  By man who throw away all honor, who spit in face of Law and of Matriarch's decision too--because it not what HE want!"

                The anger and pain were rising in Shampoo's tone, though she remained enough self-possession to keep her volume down.  "He never, EVER care about anything else than that, than what he want!  For sure not Shampoo, who he say he love.  Not what best for me.  Not what I want.  Not who I love.  He betray everything to do this, and that include Shampoo too."  Her anger collapsed then, and she whispered, "So sorry, Airen.  Shampoo so sorry."

                "Sorry for what?"  She didn't quite seem to be on the verge of tears, which was a little reassuring.  However, the Saotome heir was still plenty confused by Shampoo's sudden change of tone.

                "Why you think Mousse stay here so long?  Why Great-Grandmother not send him away long time ago?"  Shampoo hung her head.  "She ask me, not long after he come back second time and want to stay.  She want to know what Shampoo think.  She say, would be convenient to have him help in restaurant, and he would serve as different kind of challenge for Ranma than most of others, would be good to help you grow as warrior.  But he also keep trying to interfere with you and me, try for something he had no right to.  Choice was left up to Shampoo, Great-Grandmother say."

                "So why did you let him stay?"

                A long moment of silence.  "Was lonely," Shampoo whispered.  "Mousse stupid and annoying sometimes.  But he was also friend from when Shampoo was small, and was familiar piece of home in unfamiliar land.  Never cared for him as more than friend, but Shampoo did have that kind of care for him, and was glad sometimes to have him around.  And so because of that we let him stay and throw everything away, destroy own life and almost destroy you too."

                Ranma winced, understanding a little better now, and sympathizing with the pain in her voice.  Deliberately he pushed aside thoughts of lost friends, and concentrated on his response.  He ought to be able to make Shampoo feel better at least, hopefully without resorting to offering a date.  He didn't even want to THINK about how well that would go over with the Tendos right now.

                Eventually he said, "And what if you'd told him right away to go?  What if that'd just made him try something like this right then and there?  Mousse has been here for a long time now, and you know what?  He ain't gotten nearly as much better during that time as I have.  If he'd tried some desperation sneak attack back then, when there wasn't such a big gap between him and me, he mighta pulled it off.  How'd you be feeling then?"

                Shampoo just flinched at the mental picture.  Ranma pressed his advantage.  "It's just plain stupid to think about stuff like this, and beat yourself up over what you did or didn't do.  You don't know things wouldn't'a been a hundred times worse if you'd done things different with Mousse.  It's just a waste of time to look behind you like that."

                Silence fell again, as thoughtfulness replaced some of his companion's sorrow.  That other emotion was still there, though, when she said, "Is that really what Ranma believe?"

                "Yeah.  Doesn't it make sense to you?  What kinda martial artist spends all his time looking behind him... er, her?"

                "Would be fool to spend all time like that," Shampoo agreed quietly.  "But not to do at all?  Seems to Shampoo that that would make someone who keep on repeating past mistakes."

                Ranma fidgeted, quickly growing uncomfortable under the intensity of Shampoo's regard.  "Just what is THAT supposed to mean?"

                Deliberately, the lavender-haired girl looked away from him, turning her gaze downward to rest on the Tendo homestead beneath her.  "Never mind, Airen."  She got to her feet, and he followed suit.  Resisting the sudden urge to try for a hug, she turned and headed toward the edge of the rooftop.

                On reaching this she paused, and called back over her shoulder, "Just want you to remember... there nobody now at Cat Café who would not welcome you, to see you there."

***************

                "You sure took your time."  Nabiki gave her houseguest a critical stare.  It was late afternoon now, and it had been early afternoon when Kasumi had sent him off to the market with a list of purchases that shouldn't have taken more than an hour to acquire.

                Ranma barely acknowledged her words, just giving a vague grunt, not even pausing in his stride.  Nabiki's critical stare changed to a searching, penetrating gaze.  He was walking slowly, but not moving as if he'd been hurt.  The look on his face made it clear that there was something big on his mind.  Well, if he'd gotten himself trapped into yet another date, she didn't want to hear about it just now.  One problem at a time.

                Before he could leave the room, she strode briskly over and stopped in front of him.  "Kasumi waited for those groceries this long," she said, indicating the bags he was carrying, "she can wait a little more.  I need to talk to you now."

                "I don't wanna talk, okay, Nabiki?"  Ranma stepped to one side.  The middle Tendo moved in concert, continuing to block his path.  "Look, sorry I took so long.  I was just thinking about stuff, not off bein' a pervert or whatever stupid thing Akane would say!"

                Nabiki snorted.  "As if the number of opportunities you've passed up didn't prove that already.  I don't care what took you so long, Ranma.  I'm more concerned about what happened while you were gone."

                The serious nature of her tone got through to Ranma.  He heaved one tired sigh, then asked, "What're you talking about?"

                "In another impressive display of timing, Miss Kaori Daikoku came by with a proposal while you were gone.  She was _kind," Nabiki's voice twisted as she spoke the word, "enough to offer Daddy quite a large sum of money to officially release your engagement."_

                Ranma blinked, for the moment feeling only surprise that someone actually tried something so rational.  "And...?"

                "And he turned her down, of course," Nabiki said in a tone as dry as the desert sands.  "Explained that the engagement was a matter of honor."

                "And...?" Ranma repeated with a growl.  He'd been in no mood to begin with to have anything else dumped on him, and his patience was wearing thin indeed.

                "And that was when she said that he had no right to talk about honor, with the _horrible way you're being treated here.  She didn't hold back on saying just what she thought of him, and Akane, and all the Tendos even unto the fourth generation."  The sharp, cold gleam in Nabiki's eyes belied her flippant tone.  "Daddy is rather unhappy about this little encounter.  Do you remember what I told you last week, Saotome?  About how this family didn't need any more trouble piled on top of Shampoo's little lesson?"_

                He nodded, wincing as the reminder sparked another, particularly unpleasant connection.  "What about Akane?  How'd she take this?"  He almost hesitated to ask the question.

                "The one bright spot.  She's still out in the dojo, venting her frustrations.  She didn't know you left and she doesn't know Kaori came over.  And I think it had better stay that way."

                "No joke," Ranma muttered.

                "So, even though this could have been worse, we sure didn't need it in the first place."  Nabiki paused and looked expectantly at him.

                He resisted the urge to shrug, since he was still carrying several bags of groceries.  "Okay, fine.  What's that got to do with me?"

                "Take a line through Daddy's response to Shampoo's latest escapade," Nabiki snapped.

                Ranma nodded his head wisely.  "I got ya.  It's time to add one more girl to the list of people Ranma's supposed to tell to get the hell outta town.  Is that right?"  Before Nabiki could respond, he glared and said, "Take a line through Shampoo yourself.  I ain't telling anybody what they have to do.  Number one, like it'd do any good, or accomplish anything beside gettin' me in more trouble.  Number two,  I get enough of that myself; if I hate it, why should I spread it around to other people?"

                He zipped around Nabiki at a pace she couldn't even dream of matching, and strode toward the kitchen.  "You got a problem with Kaori?  YOU deal with it."

***************

                It had been a good exit line, but when Ranma reached the kitchen and presented the groceries to Kasumi, he found his resolve beginning to weaken.  The eldest Tendo daughter thanked him politely, but her usual smile was absent and she seemed rather low-spirited.  Ranma silently resolved to speak to Kaori during their next study session.  He needed to clue her in that there was definitely one Tendo who hadn't deserved any of the hard words she'd had for the family.

                He helped Kasumi put away the groceries that she wouldn't be using to prepare dinner, then gathered the bags and deposited them in the trash.  Before walking away, though, he hesitated, then plucked a crumpled sheet of newspaper out of one of the bags.  He carried it with him as he went back outside and leapt to the top of the roof.  However, no sooner had he set it down and spread it out than a sudden gust of wind caught the paper and sent it sailing away.

                For a moment Ranma tensed, hesitating on the verge of pursuing the paper... but then he let it go, sinking down to a more comfortable position on the rooftop.  He'd already all but memorized the important details from the sheet anyway.

                '_Had I already seen it?'  The newspaper had been almost two weeks old.  No reason to think that he hadn't caught a glimpse of the thing before today, possibly even on the day it had been published.  Just because he didn't remember it didn't prove anything.  It had been a really hectic two weeks, after all, and little things like that he probably wouldn't remember.  At least not consciously._

                Ranma mused on this for quite a while, but reached no definite conclusion... except that he certainly wouldn't be forgetting the newspaper AGAIN_ anytime soon.  Or rather, he wouldn't be forgetting one story that had appeared on it._

                The report had only merited a few lines.  They hadn't included anything nearly as strange as Nerima was capable of when it really got down to business.  Just a brief mention of possible vigilante action, as exemplified by two known criminals turning up outside a police station with each limb broken in two places.

***************

                Ranma looked down, nodding slightly.  This was more what he would have expected--the dream was beginning as they usually did.  He was in familiar territory, standing on the observation deck of the Tokyo Tower.  The city was spread out before him, although no light shone there.  Usually that didn't happen until at least a little time had passed.

                Perhaps that was what was causing this nagging sense of discomfiture, Ranma mused.  Something seemed off, but he couldn't place his finger on it.  Was it the absence of light below him?  Was there something he had forgotten?  Perhaps it was just that he could sense the earth's pull was now dramatically weaker.  It was still there, too far removed to reach him though still detectable if he concentrated... but Ranma suspected that if he left the Tower and returned to terra firma, tonight he would be able to jump at nearly his normal height.

                Not that he had any intention of doing that, of course.

                Out of the corner of his eye, Ranma noted a singular point of darker night form in the air off to one side, then billow outward into the typical form of his companion.  He turned to face the other, dismissing the faint feeling of oddness.  "Yo.  Nice to see you."

                ~_You too, Ranma._~  A sense of hesitancy came along with the words; after a pause, his companion continued.  _~When I brought you to the seaside, you thought it was because I wanted us to swim.  That wasn't true then, but tonight I would like for us to fly.  Do you mind?_~

                "Nah, no problem," Ranma said magnanimously.  The wings formed around him, and he took flight.  "That was actually what I wanted to do too."

                ~_I'm glad.~_

                Nothing more was said for quite some time.  Eventually, though, a faint frown creased Ranma's brow.  The sense of something discordant was still with him, not growing any stronger, but the persistence of the irritation was becoming harder to ignore.  Remembering that this had happened once before, after his fight with Tatewaki, Ranma heaved a mental sigh.  Apparently there was some pain or something he had to face lurking in the back of his mind again.  He braced himself and reached toward it.

                However, to his surprise, there was nothing there to be found.  He tried again, concentrating harder, deliberately thinking back over everything that had occurred since his last dream.  There hadn't been anything particularly big... had there...?

                ~_Ranma._~  The word from his companion drew his thoughts back from such contemplation.  ~_Have you considered what I showed you, the last time we were together?  Do you have any idea what it might have had to do with Mousse?  Why I said my warning shouldn't have been necessary?_~

                "Not a clue," the Saotome heir replied, his attention already turning back inward.  The nagging feeling was suddenly much stronger and clearer... he was almost sure of it, there was something he had forgotten...

                ~_Next question.  You saw what almost happened, what would have happened in that alley.  Who was at fault, Ranma?  Who was to blame?~_

                He barely paid the query any mind, concentrating instead on unraveling his private puzzle.  "Those muggers, of course," he answered absently.

                ~_Last question.~_  Intensity spiked through the next words, intensity enough to snap Ranma fully out of his distraction.  ~_What did that foolish girl think would happen to her, when she chose to walk alone through Tokyo back alleys at night?_~

                "Hey!" Ranma protested, the words coming as an instinctive reaction rather than a considered response.  "Are you sayin' she would've deserved what she almost got?!  Huh?!"  Only an instant later, an instant too late, did he realize what he'd just done.

                ~_Questions again?~_  The thought carried an unmistakable tone of reproof.  He flinched, cursing mentally, and braced himself for the shock of awakening.  However, the distant stars remained above him, softly highlighting the deeper darkness of the sky; the rushing wind maintained its caress. ~_This time, I'll let it slide.  This is too important to leave until another day.~_

                ~_Of course she didn't deserve what would have happened.  But that doesn't change the fact that she made a foolish choice._~

                Silence fell, a thick, intense silence that Ranma felt unwilling to break.  He turned his companion's words over in his mind, wonder just what conclusion he was supposed to draw.  Maybe the girl _had_ made a stupid choice.  That sure as heck didn't take any blame off the guys who would've hurt her, but maybe it did put some on her shoulders too.  He still didn't see what that had to do with Mousse.

                Without warning, his companion broke into a steep dive.  After a moment of surprise, Ranma followed suit.  They were over a forest now, stooping toward a break in the trees.  As Ranma descended past the treetops, he caught the faint gleam of starlight on water ahead.

                A small pond was waiting for him.  He landed at the water's edge, noting that his companion was hovering several yards farther along the little shore, one tendril of darkness extending into the water.  ~_Look closely, Ranma~_  A faint note of irony entered the other's words.~_Perhaps you will find enlightenment.~_

                Obediently, wondering where this was going, he leaned forward and regarded the surface of the water.  The stars were visible there just for the briefest of seconds... and then the waters shifted, becoming a larger version of the screen he'd viewed several nights before.

                Images danced across the viewing surface.  A panda slammed a sign into a red-haired girl, knocking her unconscious, then picked her up and carried her toward his desired destination.  Three sisters stared in shock at the girl-turned-boy, then the two older girls pushed their younger sibling forward as a sacrifice to allow their own escape.  That youngest girl, now with an angry scowl on her face, brought a table crashing down on her unwanted fiancé.

                The visions cascaded, faster and faster.  Ranma fought a sickening sensation of vertigo, wanting to look away, just wanting to put all this annoyance and frustration and pain behind him where it belonged.   Akane scowling as he backed away from an offered plate of 'home cooking'.  Ukyo with a look of mild sympathy and cheerful interest, dumping alternating hot and cold water over him.  Shampoo chasing her redheaded quarry through the wilds of China.  Kaede clashing with the Amazon over just who had the right to him.  Mousse striking at him with twin blades protruding from his sleeves.  Nabiki selling risqué photos to Kuno of his 'pigtailed goddess'.  Cologne bouncing her around the Cat Café when she made her first try for the Phoenix Pill.  Ryoga's Shi Shi Hokodan blast plowing into him for the first time.  Soun and Genma splashing him, tearing half her clothes off, then pushing her through a doorway to cheer up a weakened, disheartened Happosai.

                He closed his eyes, but it didn't stop the flood.  Ukyo held her hand out, demanding payment for his okonomiyaki as tears fell to the floor beneath her.  Shampoo popped a love potion pill into his unguarded mouth.  Kaori choked her with a Ramen Round-up Noodle Noose.  The Tendos formed a more-or-less united front, demanding he pretend to already be married to Akane so that Ukyo would go back to her restaurant.  Sasuke handed him a string of fish sausages, just as he began to notice the yowls arising from the surrounding dimness.  She tackled Akane out of the way of Kurumi's incoming attack, only to be yelled at for the save.  Ryoga charged him with one outstretched finger, neither of them truly understanding the Bakkusai Tenketsu yet.  Mousse stalked toward her, ribbon stretched tight between his hands.  Prince Toma blasted him with illusory, but still painful fire.  Kirin threw her unceremoniously off his ship while it was several hundred feet up in the air.

                Over and over the scenes of his life sped past him.  Ranma could feel them whipping past him like blasts of wind-borne sand, tearing at him, pummeling him...

                And then it ended.  Simple darkness returned.  Slowly, cautiously, he opened one eye, then its twin, and stood shakily back to his feet.  His companion remained in the same position as before, save that the other was no longer touching the surface of the water.  Only stars shone now in the pond's surface.

                The peace didn't last long, though.

                _~I can finally see, and I've seen it all so clearly, in the thoughts you push away and the memories you try to forget.  That girl's not the only victim around here._~  The world TREMBLED with the force of the words, and with the grief behind them.  _~Like her, you let it happen to you.  You didn't know how to fight these kinds of battles._~  Ranma staggered, his hands clenching around his head.  He had the feeling one gets when there is a sudden change in air pressure... except this was on the very inside of himself, all through his body, and it was much stronger.  _~I saved her, and she was only someone I stumbled across by chance._~  The pressure was building, building...  _~And you, Ranma?!  You... you're... after all this, I'll be DAMNED if I don't at least manage to help you!!~_

                Ranma gave an involuntary cry of shock, as he felt a tearing sensation deep inside him.  It was nothing physical, nothing intrinsically a part of him--this was rather the destruction of things that had been imposed from without.  Tools that had outlived their usefulness and needed to be discarded.

                The first to go was the veil over a recent memory.  In an instant, he remembered the story he'd read this afternoon, the account of the 'potential vigilante action' and the criminals who'd come up against something they couldn't handle.  It had passed out of his mind as he'd fallen asleep, and not been allowed to resurface until now.

                Following quickly in the wake of this realization came a swift draining sensation.  Each subsequent dream had seen him more aware and alert, but there had always been a significant measure of somnolent torpor remaining, clouding his thoughts and maintaining the dreamlike quality of the episodes.  Here and now Ranma could feel this departing, leaving him as fully functional as if he were truly awake, his thoughts operating at maximum clarity.

                The final mental shroud shredded almost immediately thereafter, and he was free at last of the compulsion to never realize these were more than simple dreams.

                ~_As I said before, Ranma.~_  The intensity was gone for the moment; the words came quietly, and sadly.  ~_These dreams are my gift to you.  A time of freedom, with nobody to abuse you or put you down or demand things from you.  A time when I can show you important things.  A time where I can draw off some of the poison that has been building up in your life.~_

                Ranma gazed headlong into the turbulent blackness before him, and could only whisper, "What are you?"

                This time, there was no reprieve.  In an instant, he found himself back in his bedroom, staring desperately into an unyielding wall.

***************

                It was just as well that dawn had already been painting the sky when Ranma awakened, because he got no more sleep that night.  He tossed and turned for roughly half an hour, then recognized the futility of this and retreated to the roof for some serious thought.

                The pigtailed martial artist sat there, his thoughts running in frantic circles, trying fruitlessly to solve a puzzle with too many missing pieces.  The sun rose in the sky and he remained where he was.  Breakfast came and went, with no notice taken by Ranma.  Akane exited the house and headed into the dojo, and he paid her no attention.  Only when she left it again, an hour later, did the vague thought cross his mind that some practice in the Art might help settle his whirling thoughts.  He jumped down from the roof, removed several posts from the storage area where such things were kept, set them up in the yard, and began trying to lose himself in training.

                "RANMA!"

                He didn't even respond to the cry at first, except for a silent grimace.  Trust his old man to come butting in when he already had too much on his mind.  Ranma spun into another high kick, targeting the top of one post, only just managing to save himself from a fall when Genma shot across the yard and caught his foot in one hand.

                "Cut it out, Pop!  I'm busy!" he snarled.

                "There's no time for that, boy!" Genma retorted.

                Ranma blinked.  No time for training?  Coming from Genma, that could only mean one thing... another attempt to push him and Akane together.

                Unaware of the cynical thoughts running through his son's head, Genma elaborated.  "Akane just said she's going to the Cat Café to challenge Shampoo to a rematch!"

                "You've got to be kidding me," Ranma deadpanned.

                "I'm afraid not, now COME ON!"  Genma released his son's foot and half-turned back toward the house, his body language clearly stating his desire to rush away.

                "Hold it, old man.  So Akane's gonna go pick a fight with Shampoo.  What the heck do ya want me to do about it?"

                "Stop her, of course!  Talk some sense into her, promise her you'll train her so she can put up a better fight, or tell her your honor says you have to get rid of the Amazons yourself.  I don't care what you do, just get in there and keep her from making this mistake!"

                "Okay, I guess I asked the wrong question."  Ranma gave his father a tired glare.  "WHY should I even get involved?"

                "Ranma, you know as well as I do that Akane is years below Shampoo's level!" Genma roared.  "If you don't protect her, who KNOWS how badly that Amazon will thrash her this time!"

                "As far as I can tell, Shampoo's just about proved she ain't gonna hurt anybody too bad.  Maybe if Akane actually gets her butt kicked, she'll learn a lesson this time!"

                Silence fell, as Genma stared at his son.  Disbelief was the first emotion evident on his face, but it quickly began shifting toward cold anger.  "I taught you better than that, boy," he eventually growled.  "The duty of a martial artist is to protect the weak.  How DARE you just blow this situation off, and let Akane walk away into what could be real danger?!  

                "Could be?  Maybe?  Give it a REST, old man!  You even saw the last fight yourself.  If Shampoo wanted Akane hurt, she'd've been hurt then.  This is just gonna be another stupid joke of a match, and I don't see any need to waste my time with it!"

                "Last time, there were witnesses, in case you're forgetting!  Are you going to play games with your fiancée's LIFE, just because you don't feel like making a little effort?!  I've never seen anything to make ME so confident in your judgment as you seem to be, Ranma!"  Genma's eyes narrowed.  "You have no right to call yourself a martial artist if you turn away now.  If things turn out all right, fine.  But you'd better be there to make SURE they do!"

                For a long moment Ranma held silent, anger churning in the back of his mind.  The forefront, however, was examining Genma's charge, pushing the insults and such aside, and considering the core of it.  At last, reluctantly, he decided that the old man could be right this time.  Genma's overall track record might be pretty poor, but when it came to martial arts, his father hit the nail on the head fairly often.  And this seemed more related to martial arts than anything else.  The pigtailed teen sighed, and said, "Okay, fine.  I'll tag along an' make sure Shampoo doesn't take Akane's head off her shoulders.  Happy, Pop?"

                Judging from the relieved expression that broke out on Genma's face and the way he raced off toward the house, it was clear that he was, if not completely happy, at least much closer to it than he had been.  Ranma trudged in his wake, already uncomfortably aware that Akane wasn't too likely to share this viewpoint.

***************

                "Yo!  Akane!  Wait up!"

                She paid the call no heed, neither turning her head nor slackening her pace.  Not until he raced up and stopped in front of her did she react, and even then it was only to step around him.  "Will you stop and listen to me?!" Ranma demanded.

                "No," Akane said shortly, controlled anger vibrating in the monosyllable.  She continued walking.

                Ranma followed, coming up beside her.  "Akane, this ain't a good idea!  You're nowhere near ready to fight Shampoo for real."

                "Just shut up," she said tightly, looking straight ahead and picking up her pace a little.  "I'm sick of you treating me like my skills don't matter."

                "Akane, you don't HAVE any skills that're gonna matter if you try and take on Shampoo!  Look at me, for cryin' out loud!  Did _I ever challenge the old ghoul or the freak 'cept when I absolutely had to?!"_

                Akane's mouth thinned further, and she bit back her instinctive reply.  "I said shut up.  I don't have time to get in a stupid fight with you now, Ranma.  I sent the challenge letter three days ago, saying I'd be there today at noon.  And it's pretty close to that now.  So just leave me alone... this is none of your business anyway."

                "Tell that to our fathers," he muttered under his breath, not loud enough for her to hear.  Soun had already been in full-blown 'tower of tears' mode when Ranma entered, and Akane was already gone, departed while he was talking to Genma.  Kasumi had relayed this information to him, along with the (rather unnecessary) message that Soun expected him to catch up to Akane and keep her safe.  Well, he hadn't had any real hope that he'd succeed in talking his fiancée out of this, but at least he could tell Mr. Tendo he'd tried.  He fell silent, and Akane ignored him for the rest of the walk to the Cat Café.

***************

                Finding the restaurant deserted, a 'temporarily closed for business' sign present on the door, might reasonably have been expected to inspire relief in Ranma and rage in Akane.  However, since the rhythmic thuds of flesh against wood were resonating from the alley behind the restaurant, it was fairly obvious that Shampoo at least hadn't skipped out on the challenge.  Akane strode around toward the source of the sounds, finding the Amazon practicing a routine of quick medium-powered kicks.

                She stood there for a few moments, waiting less and less patiently for Shampoo to acknowledge her presence, but determined not to say anything unless the Amazon ignored her past the stroke of noon.  That was still some five minutes off.

                Shampoo spun into one last flurry of kicks, then turned with a cheery smile.  "Nihao, Ranma!  You come to take Shampoo on date?"

                Akane trembled, only with greatest effort swallowing the outburst that rose to her lips.  In a tightly-controlled voice, she said, "Excuse me, Shampoo.  Did you maybe not get a letter I sent three days ago?"

                The other girl nodded absently.  "Got good laugh, too.  Thanks, Akane, was funny joke.  So what about it, Ranma?  Where you want to go?"

                "Enough, Great-Granddaughter."  Ranma whirled, to find Cologne balanced atop her staff not five feet behind him.  The Matriarch gestured toward Akane, who was trembling with fury, her face an alarming shade of red.  "Take a good look at her, and remember what we spoke of.  You might as well be attacking her physically."

                Shampoo inclined her head, her expression sobering.  "Sorry, Great-Grandmother."  She turned to face Akane, and her face hardened further.  "Shampoo did get letter, Akane Tendo.  You should not have sent.  Among Amazons, is considered disgrace to treat someone too far below you as if they real opponent.  Our last fight show for sure that how you is to me.  So Shampoo not going to fight you now."

                This didn't seem to lessen Akane's anger any.  "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

                The Amazon shrugged.  "Said Shampoo would not fight you.  Challenge declined.  No lessons today.  Go home and break more bricks."

                "You... you don't have ANY right to do this!"  Akane blinked aside tears of anger.  "You said all that stuff about how you were a real martial artist and I wasn't, and now you're refusing a challenge?!  I trained hard this week, Shampoo.  You're a COWARD if you refuse to fight me!"

                The lavender-haired girl just sighed.  "Ranma, did she eat Super Soba noodles, or get some other magic power-up?"  Ranma shook his head.  "There no other way you get good enough in week to give me even little challenge, Akane."

                "Even if you believe that, it still doesn't let you just blow me off.  And it's NOT true anyway!  I'm going to pay you back for treating me like garbage!"

                Shampoo's eyes narrowed dangerously.  "Treat you like garbage?  I think not.  That would be if I had beat you to bloody pulp and leave you on curbside for big truck to take away."  She spoke louder, overriding Akane's incipient protest.  "What Shampoo do is treat you like child you are.  Come back in few years, Akane... maybe by then you grow up some!"

                Akane turned away, unable for the moment to look at Shampoo's face any further.  "Tell her, Ranma," she said, her voice heavy with warning.  "Tell her I trained hard.  Tell her I'm ready to fight her for real."

                "For real?!" Shampoo demanded, before Ranma could say anything, or even push past the cold foreboding that had settled into his chest.  "You even know what that MEAN, Akane Tendo?  Means Shampoo would strike hard, strike fast, treat you as if you could really be dangerous opponent.  Would take whatever opening there was to put you down, and not care if that mean put-out joints or broken bones.  And you tell Ranma to tell Shampoo to fight you like that?!"  Anger was hot in her voice now.  "Okay, fine.  Maybe Shampoo wrong.  I am willing to listen to husband tell me if is so.  Ranma, on you honor, you tell Shampoo... is Akane ready to be good challenge to me?"

                Shampoo paused, looking Akane up and down, disgust plain on her face.  "If you say she is not, there will be no challenge today.  Decision will stand.  If you say she is, Shampoo will fight her--for real."

                Ranma closed his eyes and just stood there, an indescribably weary feeling replacing the cold foreboding of a few seconds prior.  "Dunno whether you were right or wrong, Pop," he muttered under his breath.  "What would've happened if I weren't here?"  A pointless question, he realized.  For better or for worse, he WAS here, and his duty was clear.

                He opened his eyes again, and met Shampoo's gaze.  "Give it a rest, Shampoo.  You know good and darn well she ain't ready to fight you.  You didn't need me to tell you that."

                Shampoo inclined her head, the harsh cast of her features softening.  "Of course not.  But Shampoo had already prove this to Akane, and she no listen.  Maybe she listen to you."

                Ranma just sighed in response, scraped together what nerve he had remaining, and turned back toward Akane.  "Okay, you heard it, Akane.  Let's just go... home..."  His voice trailed off as the sight before him registered.

                He'd pretty much been expecting anger greater than he'd ever seen before.  There was no hint of it, though--the anger would come later.  For now, there was nothing to be seen on Akane's face but an ocean of sheer, raw hurt.  Tears spilled down her cheeks as she stared at him for a silent eternity... and then she whirled, and ran away as fast as she could.

                The pigtailed teen tensed, but couldn't quite bring himself to run after her.  What little understanding he had of such personal matters was screaming emphatically that now was NOT the time for Akane to see his face again.

                Cologne seemed to concur.  "You're free to stay here if you like, son-in-law, or head elsewhere.  But I suggest most strongly that you not return to the Tendo household for the next several hours.  At the very least."

***************

                Akane stood now in the front yard of her home, still clad in the gi she'd worn for most of the day, and backed by her sisters and her father.  Genma was nowhere to be seen, but his son had stopped in the lane outside, regarding his welcoming committee with a neutral expression.  Akane stood there and stared back at him, her eyes free from tears for the moment.  It had taken hours for her to regain this much control.  And now, as she stood staring into Ranma's face, she felt it all trying to drain away, felt the tears wanting to well up again.

                But for the moment, the anger was strong enough to sustain her.  "Did you and Shampoo have a nice time?" she demanded in a voice she didn't really recognize as hers.

                Ranma was too tired to flinch.  "I left right after you did, Akane.  I stayed away, got some lunch, and did some training... BY MYSELF... so you could maybe get in a better mood."

                "I don't believe you," Akane retorted bitterly, hating the tremble she felt in her voice.  "You just did what you always do--insult me and treat me like I'm worthless and go dancing off to embarrass me behind my back."

                "Bullshit."  He said it in the same tired tone as before.  "Yeah, I did what I always do.  I _protected_ you."

                "Protected me?!  PROTECTED me?!" she nearly screamed.  In one convulsive movement she reached inside her gi, withdrew something, and threw it straight for his face as hard as she could.  That his hand automatically snapped up and caught the missile only made her feel worse.  "I DIDN'T NEED YOUR STUPID PROTECTION!!  JUST ONCE, I WANTED TO WIN, AND I WAS GOING TO WIN!  AND YOU TOOK THAT AWAY FROM ME WITH YOUR GOD DAMNED ATTITUDE!!"

                As if in a dream, Ranma lowered his hand and stared down at the water pistol.  He was still trying to process this information when Soun spoke up.

                "Ranma, your backpack is there, next to the gate."  The Tendo patriarch spoke only with difficulty, trying to communicate by the look in his eyes that he was grateful Ranma had arranged for his little girl's safety, that he didn't want to do this, that as far as he was concerned it was just a temporary measure until the Wrath of Akane should die down.  Still in that same gruff, reluctant voice he continued, "Genma has already left.  He said to tell you he'd catch up with you in a few days."

                "So that's it, then?" the Saotome heir half-whispered.  "Just like that?  'Ranma, leave now and never return'?"

                "That's right."  Akane spoke with even more difficulty than had her father, desperately choking back the fresh sobs that were trying to rise up within her.  There was no way in hell she'd let him see her break down now.  "Get OUT of here!  GO!!  I never want to see your face again!!"

                For one moment longer he stared at her, then shifted his gaze to the others.  Soun, unhappy but not protesting his daughter's edict.  Nabiki, emotionless mask fully in place.  Kasumi, clearly sorrowful, but equally clearly unwilling to intervene.  He paused for several long seconds, staring at each of them in turn.

                And then he gathered up his backpack, turned, and walked away.

***************

                Ranma never would remember the subsequent hours clearly.  He knew he had trudged automatically through the streets, moving without any thought of a destination, but could only recall occasional fragments of memory.  In some he would be passing down wide thoroughfares, only just paying attention enough to avoid the cars.  In others he wound his way through narrow alleys, once to pause in bitter laughter as a couple of punks started toward him, visibly thought better of it, and left hurriedly.

                Time passed.  Fewer and fewer people were around him, even on the main streets.  The light dimmed, as afternoon sank through evening to nightfall.  Ranma walked on, not even realizing it when his pace finally began increasing.  From a walk, to a trot, to a dead run.

                And then he stopped, and looked up at the sight before him.

                The sun had slipped below the far horizon some time ago.  It had been hidden by tall buildings for an even longer time.  The dying of the light didn't bother him, though, especially not now as he looked up through the shades of night and regarded the Tokyo Tower.

                Ranma was tired and he was hurting, but a casual onlooker would never have known it from the way he leaped from girder to girder, rising ever higher almost more quickly than the eye could follow.  He reached the observation deck and stared desperately around, scanning first the sky and then the ground below him.  Nothing--as far as he could see, he was alone.

                For the moment, he was far past caring about reason and rationality.  He shut his eyes and fell to his knees, clutching at the memory of a crumpled page of newspaper.  "Are you there?!" Ranma screamed, hoarsely, desperately.  "If this is real... if you're real... please, show yourself..."

                ~_Silly, open your eyes.  I'm here.~_

                The words had come in gentle, soothing overtones of kindness.  Ranma's eyes slammed open, to find that he was indeed no longer alone.  The darkness boiled and twisted, its leading edge only inches away from him this time.  The other was smaller now, with less than half its usual radius; the topmost edge of darkness extended less than a foot above Ranma's current kneeling height.  Whether that was due to this meeting occurring in the waking world, or just to enable the visitor to come closer to him, Ranma neither knew nor cared.

                ~_I'm here,~ his companion repeated reassuringly.  ~__You're not alone.~_

                "Not alone... right..." he gave another bitter laugh.  "Guess the Tendos would be pretty ticked off if they saw, huh?"

                Silence was his only answer, a silence filled with increasing tension.  It broke as Ranma exploded with a snarling cry of "Why?!  Why could I never do good enough, why couldn't any of 'em ever look at my side of things?!  I did just what Mr. Tendo said, kept his 'precious baby girl' safe an' sound.  Just like I have I don't even KNOW how many times anymore!  Risked my life for her, over an' over, and what do I get?  Thrown out on the street 'cause Akane wanted Shampoo to fight her for real and I wouldn't let it happen!

                "Just tell me why!"  He stared desperately at the other, silent before him, in this instant holding nearly motionless.  "If you've got so many answers, just tell me... tell me what I was supposed to do... Just... tell me...  WHY THE HELL DOESN'T SHE LISTEN TO ME?!"

                If the response had been spoken aloud, he would have had to strain to hear it.  The mental 'voice' felt like more of a whisper.  ~_If you wait a week and then go back, I don't think the Tendos will turn you away.~_

                Ranma boggled, his sense of disbelief and discomfiture plain to see.  "What kinda answer is that?"

                ~_Is what happened today really so hard for you to understand?~  The words came stronger and more clearly now, with pain quite evident behind them.  ~_You told Akane something she didn't want to hear, and instead of listening to what you were trying to say, she threw a tantrum.  How many times have you seen that happen?~__

                "So this... this's just more of the same?  Wait awhile, and Akane'll cool off again, and things go back to the usual routine?"  Ranma glared.  "Is that supposed to make me feel better?!"

                ~_Not particularly, no.~_

                "Good.  Because it sure as hell doesn't!  I'm sick of all that crap, tired of waiting and toughing it out and hoping things are someday gonna get better... when... when they never will..."

                ~_THAT'S NOT TRUE!!~  It was the most emphatic response he could remember hearing his companion make.  ~__Even if you can't do it on your own, that doesn't make things hopeless.  I'll help you, Ranma.  As much as you want, for as long as you want.  I'll never leave you unless you tell me to go.~_

                "Do... do you really mean it?"  He drew a shuddering breath, and managed to push away most of the tightness in his chest.  "Will you really stay with me?"

                ~_Yes.~_

                The reassurance touched him, gave him strength.  His lips quirked into a very, very weak smile.  "Even if I ask questions?"

                It had been a joke, but the reply could not have been more serious.  ~_If you're not ready for the answers now, you never will be_.~

                Ranma took a deep breath to steady himself.  And then he asked, "Who are you?"

                His answer came without words.  The cloud of darkness began to move, swirling like water as it pours down a drain.  The shadow shrank, the far end drawing near, the whole pulling in upon itself, collapsing from indistinct amorphous mass to a darkened, kneeling, clearly human, clearly female silhouette.  And then the obscuring shield disappeared altogether.

                Ranma stared, his face going pale as milk, a sudden roaring in his ears.  For a moment, a different sort of blackness hovered on the edges of his vision.  Quickly she reached out and placed her hand on his arm.  The warmth of the contact strengthened him, helped him past that first moment of absolute shock.

                They sat there for an uncertain length of time, a moonlit tableau of two motionless figures.  One trying desperately to adjust to this revelation, staring into her eyes as if searching for he knew not what.  The other waiting quietly, her hand still on his arm, bereft now of all her shields and secrecy, hoping only to receive the unconditional acceptance that she had offered.

                At last, Ranma stirred.  Hesitantly, disbelievingly, he whispered, "Ucchan?"

***************************************************************

                Afterword

                This chapter dedicated to everyone who had a hard time believing Ukyo would just abandon Ranma like that.  Thanks to everyone at the Refuge who gave C&C.


	4. Dreams Come As They May

                Nocturne

                A Ranma ½ fanfic by Aondehafka

                Disclaimer: the Ranmaverse characters owned by Rumiko Takahashi, and all that obligatory stuff.  This story based on the anime, not the manga.

*********************************************************

                Chapter 4:  Dreams Come As They May

***************

                He blinked.  The sight before him didn't alter.  Her hand was still on his left arm; with his right he reached up and rubbed his eyes.  Still no change.  It was Ukyo, with no hint about her now of any darkness blacker than the night.  She was dressed in her usual okonomiyaki outfit, typical white bow in her hair, looking about the same as he remembered her.  Except that this time she wasn't gripped by fury or sorrow.

                "Ucchan... what... how...?"  The whisper was all he could manage.

                "Can I give you the short answer for now?"  When Ranma nodded hesitantly, Ukyo continued in a dry, self-deprecating tone.  "Most everybody around here has had magic bite them in the butt.  A couple of months ago, my turn finally came up."

                It was hardly an informative reply, but Ukyo hadn't really been trying to answer his question.  She'd mainly just hoped that the humor would help him recover from his shock.  When he simply blinked and continued to stare at her with a look of desperate noncomprehension, Ukyo sighed again.  "Ranchan... I know this is kind of jolting.  Especially coming on top of the day you had."  She took a deep breath, then gave him as warm and reassuring a smile as she could manage.  "But you don't _have to get a handle on this all at once!  I'm here for you.  You're not alone, and you don't have nowhere to go."  She grimaced at the verbal stumble, realizing again that she was a bit more nervous in this moment of truth than she had hoped to be.  "I mean, there's a free room in my restaurant.  No strings attached.  You don't have to crawl under a bridge for the night or anything."_

                The chef fell silent, watching him for a reaction.  She gave one last reassuring squeeze of his arm, and then let her hand drop.  Ranma took several deep breaths, obviously struggling for composure... and then, with a great deal of effort, he pushed everything aside, for the moment simply accepting that things had changed.  Thinking about the alterations would come later; for now, he would just focus on the moment.  What he really needed tonight was peace, quiet, shelter, and sleep, and Ukyo had just offered a place where all these things could be obtained.  "Okay," he said.  "Can we go there now?"

                "Thought you'd never ask," she replied, her nervousness diminishing somewhat.  The familiar darkness appeared again, spreading out from her (but no longer hiding her identity from his sight) and surrounding them both.  For an instant, it was just the two of them, inches apart in an endless lightless void...

                And then the shadow receded.  Instead of moonlight, wind, and the vast expanses of the sky, Ranma now saw walls and a ceiling around him.  It was much darker in the restaurant; he could barely make out the shape of the long counter where Ukyo performed her Art.

                She got to her feet and offered her hand to Ranma.  Absently he took it, and let her pull him up as well.  Ukyo held the contact just a second or two longer than was really necessary, which is to say nowhere near as long as she would have liked.  "You know where the spare bedroom is, Ranchan."  He did remember, from the time he'd stayed over here after Soun had thrown him out during the affair with the Gambling King.  "I already set out a futon."

                "Thanks."  Unsure of what else to do or say, Ranma hesitated for a moment, then turned and started toward the stairs, moving cautiously through the dimness.

                He'd only taken a few steps when he stopped, and turned back to face her.  "Um..."

                "Yes, Ranma?"

                "Ah... could you..."  He was having some trouble putting his request into words.

                "Yes...?"

                "Could you maybe... make sure I don't have any dreams tonight?"

                There was a long moment of silence.  At last, Ukyo said quietly, "I wasn't planning on showing up there again without asking you first."

                "Huh?"  Ranma blinked.  "That ain't the kind of dreams I meant.  I just... I don't wanna have to remember the stuff that happened today."

                "Oh.  Right."  Even through his fatigue, Ranma noticed the brightening of Ukyo's tone.  "Sure thing, sugar.  I'll make sure you get a nice, relaxing, dreamless night's sleep."

                "Thanks."  He turned again and resumed his careful pace toward the stairs.  Not until he reached them did something else occur to him.

                Turning, he squinted through the dimness to where he thought Ukyo was still standing.  "Ucchan?"

                "What is it?"

                Ranma jumped; her voice had come from _upstairs_.  Convenient for Ukyo these new abilities might be, but they were going to take some serious getting used to.  It took him several moments to remember what he'd been about to say.  "Ah... we left my backpack back at the Tower."

                "Oh... shoot!"  The exasperated tone and the unmistakable sound of a stamped foot made him feel better.  Whatever had happened to Ukyo, at least it hadn't completely swallowed up the friend he knew.

***************

                True to Ukyo's word, no dreams disturbed his slumber that night.  When Ranma awoke, late the next morning, he was refreshed, relaxed, and incredibly confused.  This wasn't his usual bedroom.  Where was he?

                He spent several seconds staring around the room, eventually matching the pattern of his surroundings against the memory of the time he'd sought refuge here during the difficulty with the Gambling King.  The realization that he was in Ukyo's spare bedroom brought one last moment of puzzlement... and then, all at once, the floodgates of memory opened.  Ranma's breath exhaled in a hard, involuntary *whuff* as the events of the previous day rushed back through his mind, hitting with nearly the impact of one of Ryoga's punches.

                Ranma wasn't sure how long he sat there, mind whirling through painful recollections of change and loss, and dizzying paths of questions without answers.  He was here because the Tendos had thrown him out... but all he'd done was keep Akane safe like he was supposed to... he was here, at Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, when Ukyo herself had said he wasn't supposed to come back unless he was ready to honor their engagement... but last night she'd brought him here herself, and said there were no strings attached... and even though she'd told him to go away she hadn't stayed away from him, it had been HER in those dreams all this time...

                The dizziness seemed to be overwhelming the pain; no surprise, as Ranma had known plenty of frustration and loss in his life and had lots of experience pushing it away to the back of his mind.  However, never before had one of his friends turned out to be some kind of supernatural entity.  Coming to terms with that development was a little harder.  Consideration of this felt better than thinking about what had happened with the Tendos, though, so Ranma concentrated on thoughts of Ukyo.

                Just what had happened to her anyway?  How long had she been like this?  After some thought, Ranma managed to pull forth a murky memory of the previous night.  He'd been pretty out of it at the time, all but floored by the recent revelation, but he vaguely remembered Ukyo saying something about having a run-in with magic two months ago.

                The thought of that specific time span triggered another thought.  It took a fair bit of effort since he didn't have a calendar handy, but Ranma eventually worked out that that would mean whatever Ukyo had been referring to would have happened just before she broke down that first time, when he'd told her about Kaori.  It didn't take much insight to suspect a connection.

                Further thoughts on the matter were tabled for the present, however, overridden by a sudden sharp protest from his stomach.  The growl reminded him in no uncertain terms that he'd only eaten one meal the previous day, and it hadn't been supper.  With his thoughts pulled back to the here and now, Ranma realized that he could smell something quite delicious, something he hadn't smelled in too long.  The odor of cooking okonomiyaki was wafting up from the restaurant below.

***************

                "Figured that'd wake him up," Ukyo muttered with a slight smile.  The first okonomiyaki wasn't even done yet before the sound of footsteps came from the floor above.  That one had only been a smaller portion intended for herself--despite what she'd said, she hadn't really been that confident that Ranma was ready to get up yet.  He'd had a very hard day yesterday, after all.

                She listened with half an ear as she spread the makings of several oversized deluxe okonomiyaki on the grill for her guest, doing her best to stay calm and collected.  With all the butterflies cavorting through her innards, it wasn't easy.

                Judging from the sounds from upstairs, Ranma might have felt the same way.  His stride started out quick and decisive, but after only a few steps the tempo changed, becoming slower and more tentative.  He made his way out onto the stairs, and then, after descending the first couple, he stopped dead, then turned and fled back into his room.  Ukyo blinked.  Even as hard as he'd been hit by the events of yesterday, she wouldn't have thought it would destroy Ranma's confidence to this extent.  Her own nervousness diminished, replaced by a wave of sympathy, sorrow, and determination to help her Ranchan in this time of grief.

                Safely back in the privacy of his room, Ranma gathered up and slipped on the shirt and pants he could only barely remember removing the previous night.  He was hungry, and he had questions that needed answers, but he wasn't about to head down to face Ukyo in just a T-shirt and boxers.

                Now looking a bit more presentable, the pigtailed teen left the room once more.  His pace continued slower than usual as he made his way downstairs, trying to hold on to Ukyo's comforting words of the night before, but all too aware that the last two times he'd been in this restaurant, he'd seen his oldest friend seriously hurting because of him.  The memories surfaced again, memories of her outstretched hand and downcast face, the tears that had fallen and her demand for payment for his okonomiyaki.  All these tugged at him, making him feel as if he were treading over very thin ice indeed.

                The okonomiyaki she'd cooked for him were cooling on plates as he finally made his way into the main room of the restaurant.  Ukyo had already consumed the one she'd made for herself, and was now preparing another.  Ranma paused in the doorway, taking a good long look at the friend he'd thought he had lost.  She looked up from the grill, gesturing wordlessly toward the plates and giving him a quick smile.  It wasn't a carefree happy grin or anything like it (her eyes were clouded with hesitance, sympathy, the memory of pain--a mixture of too many emotions to list, far too many for such an untroubled expression to have been anything other than a lie), but there was honest warmth there, and tenderness, and it comforted him.

                Still, he felt like he ought to be a little cautious.  "Um, thanks, Ukyo.  I should warn ya, I don't have twenty-one hundred yen on me."

                The smile faded, which amazingly enough was the first clue he had that what he'd said _hadn't_ been a sensitive statement designed to show consideration toward her.

                "That's okay, Ranma," she said quietly.  "That stuff doesn't stand anymore."

                Ranma just nodded, hesitantly crossed the remaining distance, sat down in his old seat right before the grill, and began to eat.  As he started on the third okonomiyaki, Ukyo began cooking a couple more, which she passed over to him as he finished the one he was working on.  Ranma accepted these with a smile and a sense of relief; he was still hungry, but despite what she'd said, he wasn't feeling certain yet about asking for more.

                The process repeated itself, with Ukyo cooking two more okonomiyaki as Ranma worked on the pair she'd just given him, and then repeated itself again, and again, and...

                Ranma eventually shook his way free from a sort of waking dream, realizing that he was stuffed to the gills and Ukyo was still cooking another two specials.  "Um, Ucchan?  I'm kinda full here."

                "I was beginning to wonder if you were EVER going to say something," she said teasingly.  "Ye gods, Ranchan, the only time I've seen you eat more food in one sitting was when I had that cooking contest with Shampoo and Akane and Kodachi."  A shadow flickered briefly across her face as she uttered the last name.  She turned back to the grill, removing the two just-finished portions to plates for her own consumption.

                "I wouldn't've asked you to cook this much," Ranma said, looking away as well, for the moment finding the plate before him an easier resting place for his gaze.

                "Maybe that's why I did it without being asked," Ukyo responded between bites.

                He was still trying to figure that one out by the time she finished.  Ukyo looked over at him again, with an air of expectancy now.  After a long pause, she prompted, "You know, Ranchan, I did tell you last night that from now on it's okay to ask questions."

                "Okay, right.  Questions," Ranma said nervously.  He glanced around the room as if searching for inspiration.  "I got my first one."

                "Yes...?" Ukyo asked after a moment.

                "Did you ever go back and get my backpack from the Tokyo Tower last night?"

                For this, he was treated to perhaps the most sarcastic look Ukyo had ever sent his way.  "No, I thought I'd leave all your worldly possessions sitting in the street for some bum to carry off.  Course I did, Ranchan.  AND I dropped it off in your room afterward.  Didn't you see it this morning?"

                "Nope."

                "Well, now we've both asked one stupid question," Ukyo said, wry humor replacing the sarcasm.  "Your turn to try for a better one."

                "Okay."  Ranma took a deep breath.  "How about this...  what's happened to you?"

                "That's more like it."  The chef fell silent, marshalling her thoughts.  At last she said, "I think I told you last night that it all started two months ago.  But it was actually more like two months and two weeks..."

***************

                "Shoot," Ukyo muttered as the first fat drops of water splattered to the ground around her.  "Why couldn't this stupid rain have held off another couple of hours?"  Due to one thing or another--nothing out of the ordinary, just the usual hectic pace of life in Nerima--she'd been putting off a trip to the market, and by now she was running critically low on several key sauce ingredients.  If her restaurant was going to open tomorrow, she had to go shopping today.  And so she had hurried home, dropped off her books, thrown on a quick change of clothes, grabbed her shopping list, and set off toward the market.

                She hadn't quite liked the look of the clouds, but the quantity of purchases she was going to have to make meant that she wasn't going to have a free hand to hold an umbrella on her way back from the market.  So Ukyo had put her luck to the test, with the usual result.  The clouds had waited until she'd walked a fair distance away from her restaurant... just long enough that she had reached an area with no sign of shelter.  And now the rain was beginning, coming down in those fat preliminary drops that indicate a true downpour is only moments away.

                Ukyo recognized this quite handily, and, muttering something unladylike under her breath, charged off at top speed.  Just as the sky opened, she came upon a shop with an open door.  The place looked like a gloomy little clutter-filled cave, but in that moment, as she zipped through the doorway inches ahead of a solid curtain of rain, Ukyo found nothing to complain about.  

                Nonetheless, her first glance over the disorderly shelves and alcoves didn't leave her particularly interested in this shop's contents.  If there was any cooking gear here, it was well and truly hidden.  She turned back and regarded the rain sheeting down in the street.  "Hope Ranma honey's not out in this," she mused.  "But knowing his luck, I wouldn't bet against it."

***************

                Ranma blinked.  "Hey, I think I remember that day.  Last time I saw Kodachi.  She chased me through that stupid downpour for almost half an hour, tryin' to nail me with her ribbon."

***************

                Ukyo's musings were interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing behind her.  She turned, to find an older man seated behind a desk some little ways off.  He had just put down a newspaper and was regarding her with an irascible stare.  "Young lady, this shop is for customers, not for idle people to just come in out of the rain."

                "C'mon, you wouldn't send me back out into _that_, would you?" Ukyo asked, giving him her best 'cute' look.

                "I'm not saying you have to buy anything, but you could at least browse the shelves!  Who knows what sort of rare and wonderful treasure you might find here?  You'll never know unless you look!"

                Ukyo rolled her eyes, but decided to humor the guy, especially since the rain didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon.  She turned away from the doorway and made her way deeper into the shop.  Something was nagging at the back of her mind, though, and she'd only taken a few steps before she stopped, and glanced over toward the proprietor.  The lighting in the shop was conspicuous by its absence; this plus the man's position behind the desk made it rather difficult to get a good look at him, but eventually Ukyo realized what she'd been trying to remember.  "Hey, wait a minute.  I know you.  You're the jackass who sold that goon Kuno his stupid phoenix egg, aren't you?"

                The man looked up from his paper, raising his bushy eyebrows high enough to nearly touch his knit maroon skullcap.  " 'Jackass'?  You know, girl, it's awfully wet out there."

                Ukyo raised her hands in a placating gesture.  "Sorry, sorry, it's just a habit.  I even call my fiancé that sometimes."  She turned back toward the nearest shelf and began looking over its contents, picking up and fiddling with several objects in order to show her intense interest in his inventory.

                When she touched a twisted, polished branch of driftwood, only to have purple sparks fly and all her hair stand straight up, Ukyo decided that maybe she ought to think this through a little more.

                The proprietor dropped his newspaper and nearly fell out of his chair as Ukyo zipped through the intervening space, leaned over his desk, and fixed him with the brightest-eyed sparkly look of youthful enthusiasm he'd ever seen.  The fact that her hair was still rising vertically took something away from the effect, though.  "Hey, are you trying to tell me that phoenix egg wasn't the only 'special' item you've got here?" she asked eagerly.

                The man glanced up at her hair.  "I believe that has been implied.  This is the Cursed Antique Shop, after all.  What kind of fraud would I be if all that image was built around just one item?  Especially something as silly as the egg... I mean, that phoenix legend is just plain ridiculous.  Nobody in his right mind would believe in it!"

                The chef rolled her eyes again, but refrained from commenting on that particular statement.  "Well, great.  Glad to hear it.  Say, I'm in the market for something kind of special... maybe you could help me out?"

                "Be glad to."  Especially as she was the first customer he'd had all day.  "What were you looking for, young lady?"

                Ukyo didn't really hear the question.  She'd already drifted off into a pleasant little daydream of presenting Ranma with the cure to his curse, and how happy he'd be after she solved that problem for him, and how much fun they'd have going out to celebrate afterward, and...

                "AHEM!"  She blinked her way back to reality to find the proprietor giving her an impatient look.  "What exactly were you looking for?"

                "Oh.  Right.  Something to cure curses.  Jusenkyo curses specifically."  Ukyo paused, remembering a not-so-funny story Ranma had told her once, about a date with Shampoo and a bogus one-time cure.  "And I don't mean any stupid cure that only works for a little while and then quits.  I need something that'll kick a curse's butt for good."

                "I'm sorry, Miss.  I don't have anything like that.  I don't carry curse cures, not even temporary ones."

                She frowned, and thought hard.  "Okay, nothing that'll specifically cure a curse.  How about something more general?  Got anything that grants wishes?"

***************

                Ukyo broke from the flow of narrative, giving an exaggerated shudder at the memory.  "I kid you not, Ranchan, the next thing he did was try to sell me a monkey's paw."

***************

                "I DON'T THINK SO!!"  She barely resisted the urge to unsling her battle spatula and pound the living daylights out of him.  The chef had never expected to feel this grateful to her English teacher.

                "Well, that's the only wish-granting object I've got here."  Some gaijin tourist had bought the Cube of Chaos a couple of months back.  The proprietor rather enjoyed being one of the few people who really understood how Quebec had become the fifty-first of the United States.  "If you tell me the details of the curse, maybe I can find an item that would work around it."

                "Never heard of Jusenkyo, huh?" Ukyo asked, somehow managing to make it sound like anyone who had any pretense of worldliness and sophistication should know exactly what the name of the Cursed Springs implied.  "It's a water-based curse.  Any time a friend of mine gets hit with cold water, he gets stuck in the body of a girl.  He has to splash himself with hot water to change back."

                The proprietor stared at her for several moments.  "Ah, I do think I have something that could help your young man," he said at last.  "Got it right here, in fact."  He turned, bent down, extracted one volume from a stack of books on a lower shelf, and handed it over to Ukyo.

***************

                She paused again, brooding over the memory.  "What was it, Ucchan?" Ranma asked after several silent seconds had passed.  "Some kind of cursed spellbook?"

                "Nope," she said, grimacing.  "Just a stupid joke, that's all."

***************

                Ukyo stared blankly down at the translated-to-Japanese copy of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (and it's all small stuff).  "What's this for?"

                "Have your friend read it.  Maybe it'll help him put a silly little condition like that into perspective."

                The rain was pouring down more thickly than ever outside, and even less light was coming through the windows.  Nevertheless, it was suddenly a bit brighter inside the shop, as Ukyo's rising battle aura cast an eerie glow.  In a sort of reverse-DBZ effect, the chi burning out from her finally eliminated the last remnant of the magic holding her hair up; it settled back into place even as Ukyo's power output increased.  "Listen here, jackass," she growled, taking a step forward, and then another when her target began edging away.  "My Ranchan has to deal with more stress than any man ought to suffer.  He's got psychos who want to date him or kill him, depending on which body he's in.  He's got one so-called fiancée from the backwaters of China who turns into the stuff of his worst nightmares, and another who's a damn dominatrix-in-training.  His old man pushes every broken promise he ever made off onto Ranma honey's shoulders to deal with, and believe you me Genma's broken a LOT of promises.  He's got guys who want to pound him for 'stealing' the girls they're interested in, never MIND whether Ranma even wants those girls in the first place."  This litany of her fiancé's problems was actually starting to depress Ukyo, so she cut it short.  "My POINT is, the poor guy needs all the stress-reducing I can give him.  So screw the stupid book, and either help me or tell me you can't!!"

                The proprietor gulped.  By now he was backed against a wall, with Ukyo's nose less than six inches from his own.  He was sweating profusely, and not just from the heat emanating from her battle aura.  "Ah... let me think... water magic... that rings some kind of bell..."  Ukyo didn't back away, but her aura began dying down, which allowed him to think a little more clearly.  "Okay, I've got it."  He slipped to one side, disappearing off into the shelves.

                A few minutes later he returned, carrying a long narrow box of about the dimensions necessary to hold a wakizashi.  He passed this to Ukyo, who opened it carefully.  Inside was a short scepter made from mahogany.  The wood had darkened further with age, and into it were carved angular runic letterings in a language Ukyo had never seen before.  "What is this?" she asked.

                He resisted the temptation to preface his explanation with "I'm not saying I believe in the darn thing, mind you."  This could be a hard sale, and he didn't want to antagonize her.  "If I remember correctly, this thing is supposed to allow you to contact a very powerful elemental spirit.  Or something like that.  Maybe you could ask it to break your boyfriend's curse."

                Ukyo gingerly ran one finger along the scepter.  "Why do you think that would work?"

                The proprietor shrugged.  "Elemental... water... maybe it could fix things so that only hot water would splash him by accident?  Anyway, this is the only thing I can think of that might help you."

                She chewed her lower lip.  "Well, I guess I can give it a shot.  How does the magic work?"

                "I'm afraid I don't know," he replied apologetically.  "The scroll that came with this thing was ancient when I was a little boy.  It disintegrated a long time ago."  Specifically, it had disintegrated when he tried to read it, which had been a pretty traumatic event for a nine-year-old who hadn't been supposed to be messing around with 'special' items in the inventory.  As far as he was concerned, his customer should count herself lucky that he even remembered as much as he did of what it had said.  He opted not to mention this, though.

                "Is that right," Ukyo said sourly, giving him a flat stare.  "So what you're saying is, as far as we know this stick might not even BE magical."

                The proprietor took it from her fingers, and slammed it against the edge of his desk as hard as he could.  The formica of the desk cracked, the wood of the scepter didn't.  "I wouldn't say that, young lady."

                "You could be right," she agreed.  Ukyo accepted the artifact back, and began turning it over idly in her hands while considering things.  Perhaps she would be able to figure out how to get it to work.  She didn't have all that much free time, but for something like this, she could make the time to hit the library and look for a match for the letters carved into the wood.  If worst came to worst and all other avenues failed, maybe she could ask Shampoo's great-grandmother for help.  She'd rather not share Ranma's gratitude with anyone else, especially not Shampoo... but there was a lot of truth in that old saying about half a loaf.  "Okay, I guess I'll take a chance on this.  How much you want for it?"

                "Only five million yen."

                Somehow, she wasn't surprised.  Ukyo unholstered her battle spatula and took a few practice swings to limber up her muscles.  "Y'know, you tried this same thing during that deal with the Phoenix.  Do you ENJOY making people beat you up so you'll lower your price?"

                The proprietor gave Ukyo a careful glance, determining that she was nowhere near as agitated as she had been earlier.  Satisfied that she would probably be reasonable now, he coughed, and indicated the one piece of modern technology present in his store--a security camera.  "Young lady, if you beat me senseless in my own shop, I'll haul your hide in front of a magistrate."

                Ukyo frowned, surprised at this turn of events.  When she'd asked Ranma for the earlier details of what had happened before she got involved in the affair of Kuno's phoenix, he'd mentioned this guy folded like a wet paper bag under just a little violence, reducing a price of one million yen to one hundred.  '_Probably that was just because he WANTED to get rid of the phoenix or something,' she thought grumpily.  Aloud, she said, "Listen, I don't have that much money.  And who are you trying to kid anyway?  Nobody's gonna shell out that kind of yen for something they don't even know how to use."_

                "You might be right," he allowed.  "Okay, one million yen."

                "Try a hundred thousand," Ukyo said flatly.

                "Nine hundred thousand."

                "One hundred thousand."

                "Eight hundred."

                "Sold!" Ukyo said cheerfully, pulling out eight hundred yen.

                "I meant eight hundred THOUSAND, girl."

                "Okay, let me spell this out for you.  My last name isn't Kuno.  I've got my own restaurant, which is how I can afford to go as high as one hundred thousand for this.  But that's it.  No more.  The buck stops here."

                "That's just not adequate.  How can you possibly expect to buy a piece of real magic for such a ridiculously small sum?"

                Ukyo spared a moment for wondering how much Shampoo had spent on her Red Thread of Fate, before replying, "Look.  This stick isn't doing you any good here, is it?  You haven't had anybody want to buy it in all this time, have you?  I think a hundred thousand yen is VERY reasonable."

                "Not a chance."

                Inspiration struck.  "Well, how about you just let me rent it?  I mean, you can't argue that it's doing nothing for you here.  Let me take it, try to figure out how it works.  If I can do that, and it cures Ranma honey's curse, then I'll pay you the hundred thousand, and I'll give you the stick back, AND I'll tell you how to work it.  Nothing but profit for you."

                The proprietor's face twisted into a wistful, what-might-have-been expression.  "That sounds like an excellent deal, except for one problem.  Using an item of powerful magic generally gets you into trouble if you're not its true owner.  At the very least it usually doesn't work out how you want it to.  I'm sorry, but I can't just rent this out without warning you of that."  Of course, now that he'd warned Ukyo, if she still wanted to go through with the deal he wouldn't hesitate for a moment.

                "Blast it!" Ukyo snapped, glaring down at the rod, and then back to the proprietor.  She took several deep breaths to calm herself and aid the creative-thinking process, then said, "Look.  How about this?  You sell me the thing free and clear.  I pay you seventy-five thousand for it... AND I'll give you a lifetime free lunch pass to Ucchan's Okonomiyaki."

                He stared at her.  "That's your restaurant?!"  He'd never actually been there himself, but at least once a week his wife picked up an order to go for their lunch.  A beatific grin creased his face.  "Sold!"

***************

                Ranma frowned, a piece of his mind offended at a loser like that old guy mooching so much food off his friend.  "Won't that cost you too much in the long run, Ucchan?"

                Ukyo shrugged.  "Nah, if it gets to be too much of a problem, I'll just relocate and change the name."

***************

                She spent awhile longer puttering around the shop, examining the inventory with a much more respectful attitude while waiting for the rain to stop.  Ukyo would long remember the irony of seeing genuine magical items interspersed with junky little knick-knacks (although sometimes the genuine magical items looked exactly like junky little knick-knacks themselves.  She wasn't sure whether that lessened or increased the irony).  Eventually, though, the rain slackened and ceased, and Ukyo made her way back to her restaurant, preferring to get her newest acquisition to relative safety before resuming her interrupted trip to the market.

                On returning, a glance at the clock informed her that she wasn't going to have time to get to the market, buy everything she needed, and still be able to open in time for the dinner rush.  "Stupid rain.  Oh well, maybe it'll be worth it," Ukyo muttered, looking down at the box containing her purchase.  She opened it and took the scepter into her hands, turning it over and over and inspecting it closely.  "If this thing can really help me find a cure for Ranma honey, it'll be worth a lot more than I've paid for it.

                "Wish I knew how it works, though."  The chef made a series of experimental motions with the scepter, which was meant to be a string of mystical gestures.  To an observer it would have appeared rather more like she was attempting to conduct an invisible orchestra of lunatics.  "Too bad I can't just wave this thing around and say, 'Rod, do your stuff!' "

                An indescribable jolt of sensation blasted out from the scepter.  Ukyo would have dropped it, except that her hand had gone temporarily numb, her fingers frozen around the artifact.  The air before her rippled, distorted, and stabilized into a circular field roughly six feet in diameter.  Ukyo stood there, mouth gaping open, staring at the effect for quite some time.  It was as if a hole had been torn in midair; Ukyo, examining it, sensed that this WAS a tunnel, a gate, a passage to another place.

                All that could be seen in the boundaries of the field was a formless grayness.  She stared at this and knew, somehow, as if the knowledge were creeping up from her still-frozen fingers, that that wasn't what the destination on the other side really looked like.  If she should step forward and walk through, she would find herself Somewhere Else, not Nowhere.

                After taking several deep breaths, and pushing her fear and uncertainty to the back of her mind, Ukyo did just that.

***************

                Ranma frowned at her.  "Geez, Ucchan, that wasn't real bright.  You just went right ahead into who-knows-what kind of magical trouble?  Without even calling somebody to tell them what you were doing?"

                Ukyo gave him a Look.  "Put a sock in it, sugar.  I was doing it for a cure for your curse.  If it'd been you there, you'd've run through that portal fast enough to leave a trail of smoke."

***************

                Somewhere Else seemed rather rocky, and dark, and empty.

                Ukyo stumbled as the light disappeared, and the floor changed from smooth regularity to a stony uneven surface.  She caught herself before she could fall, and spent the next minute or so staring around, waiting for her eyes to adjust and trying to get an idea of where she was.

                It seemed to be a natural passageway cutting through the living rock.  The path twisted away before her, making a sharp turn and vanishing from sight.  There was almost no light, but Ukyo was able to make out that the floor and the walls were of unpolished, uncut, untouched stone.  She knelt down and placed her hand against the ground before her.  She couldn't feel anything to suggest other people had ever walked this way, at least not in numbers enough to have smoothed a passage before her.  She could hear nothing except the whisper of her own breath; when she held this and strained her ears she could barely make out the thud and rush of her pulse.  No other sound broke the stillness.  Ukyo stamped down hard on thoughts of tombs and burial.

                She turned around, and the sight of the portal still hanging there behind her reassured her quite a bit.  It was glowing slightly, which Ukyo realized was the source of the faint illumination.  After a few moments of silent debate, the chef turned away from it and began to carefully walk down the tunnel.  She might have liked to return home and fetch a lantern before trying this again, but she had a strong suspicion that the portal would close behind her once she made her return trip, and who knew whether it would open again?  After all, the stick clutched between her still-numb fingers might have a limited number of uses.  It would be just like her luck (Ranchan's too, come to think of it) if she did go back only to discover she'd used up the last of its magic.

                Even moving as slowly and carefully as she was, it didn't take her long to get to the part where the tunnel made a sharp turn.  Now that she had reached it, she found that the angle was much sharper than she had thought, and the walls were coming rather closer together than had previously been the case.  It wasn't narrow enough yet to hinder her passage--even with her spatula in place on her back neither edge of the weapon would quite be touching the walls--but the diminishing space and the fading of the last of the light brought new feelings of apprehension and uncertainty rising in Ukyo's heart.

                She stood there for quite some time.  Eventually, though, she reminded herself of what she was doing, why she was here.  This was for Ranchan.  What did she think she was doing, shrinking back from helping him with his biggest problem?!  Cowering back like a little kid scared of the dark?!  With an impatient sound of disgust, Ukyo began moving again, feeling her way forward as she passed beyond the reach of the feeble light.  The tunnel twisted, then twisted again...

                ...And then the walls opened up.  Ukyo had been moving slowly, but now she stopped dead, staring forward with far more shock and wonder than she had felt when the portal first opened.

                She was standing at the very edge of a massive open space.  There was light again, or something like it... it illuminated the room before her, though it didn't penetrate into the tunnel from which she'd just exited.  The light emanated from a point not far away from Ukyo.  And in that point...

***************

                Ukyo paused.  "I don't think I'm gonna be able to do justice with words to what I saw there, Ranchan.  It was the spirit the old geezer had said the rod would let me contact.  It's... it was like..." she struggled for words, "like, I was looking at it, but it wasn't really there, at least not all of it, all I could see was just glimpses and pieces.  And even then I get the feeling my eyes were translating it into stuff I could kind of understand, not seeing it as it really was."

***************

                A wheel of fire hung in the air, spinning and roaring with the fury of a thousand sunstorms...

                In the next instant, the glow of the fire was swallowed by the blinding glory of a light so bright Ukyo felt like it should have stricken her blind...

                The wind howled, and the waves of the ocean surged and fell...

                Fire again, hiding in a womb of earth, burning in darkness at the heart of the world...

                Rain fell in twisting, violent sheets, water and air struggling for dominance...

                A waterfall lay frozen in ice, and light glinted off the edges with brilliance enough to dazzle the onlooker...

                Fire crackled through a forest, reducing deadwood to ash, returning it to the earth from which it had come...

                The sun sank below the far horizon, light departing slowly and reluctantly, as darkness came creeping forth out of hollows and corners...

                Ukyo felt as if she were a pinball, her awareness being bounced from one vista to the next.  Earth and fire and dark and water and air and water and dark and light and air and fire and water and dark and then, with a gasp and a jolt, she found herself staring up into the very heart of the force before her.  She was closer now, with the mouth of the tunnel some little distance behind her; apparently she'd walked half the original distance separating her from the other without even realizing it, drawn forward like a moth to a flame.  Glints and fragments of such things as she'd already seen continued to play about on the edges, but here, from her new perspective, they weren't really noticeable.  Ukyo's focus rested instead in the center of the entity, a sight beyond words or even understanding, a tumultuous whole greater than the sum of the parts she'd already glimpsed.  She could feel it staring at her, an awareness before which she trembled.

                Emanating forth from this terrible eye came a clear, unmistakable response.  Ukyo staggered back with the force of the emotion.  In that instant, beyond any words or explanation, she knew that she had been regarded, weighed, judged, measured... and found utterly, completely inadequate.  In that instant, she was no longer the young woman who had trained hard enough to master both her family's Arts... no longer the chef who owned and operated her own restaurant while still keeping her grades up... no longer the fiancée who supported Ranma even as there was no-one to support her.  All these things were stripped away, and Ukyo was again the little girl who'd been abandoned by her best friend and fiancé, hiding her misery as best she could while the other children whispered speculations about why'd she get dumped like that, what was wrong with her, why wasn't she good enough.

                Some wounds never fully heal, no matter how much time may pass.  Scars and memories remain.  But while scars may be ugly, they also are marks of a survivor, and a bone that was broken may heal stronger than before.

                It took everything she had, but Ukyo struggled free of the choking despair.  She strode forward, defiantly, staring into the heart of the other with an incandescent gaze, DARING it to repeat its pronouncement.  "Damn you, you have NO RIGHT to say that!  Unworthy?!  Not good enough?!  SHOW ME!!" she screamed, trembling with the force of her white-hot rage.  "PROVE IT!!  Show me just what's so goddamned inadequate about me!  IF YOU CAN!!"

***************

                "Ucchan..." Ranma whispered.  He didn't know what else to say.  Ukyo wasn't looking at him, and hadn't been for quite some time.  Occasionally, tears would slide down her cheeks, but her voice had held steady so far.  She was silent now, a pained silence that Ranma didn't want to continue, but didn't know how to fill.  He gulped a few times, then said, "You don't haveta tell me this stuff."

                "Yes, I do," she returned.  "You want to know, don't you?"

                "Not if it's gonna make you cry!  Not if it hurts you more!"

                Ukyo sighed, then turned back to face him.  "Ranma, this is the first time I've said anything about any of this, to anybody.  I NEED to get it all out."  She forced a grin.  "You need to stop being such a chicken, anyway."

                "Chicken?!" Ranma squawked.  "What's that supposed to mean?"

                "I mean you're scared of a woman's tears."  Ukyo blinked the last one out of her eyes, then pinned Ranma's gaze with her own.  "Pain is a part of life, Ranchan.  You've got to accept that."

                "Being a martial artist means I'm supposed to protect people from getting hurt," Ranma said.  "Not hurt 'em myself."

                "Oh, so if my arm got wrenched out of its socket, you wouldn't reset it for me?"

                "That's different!"

                Ukyo gave him a sad look.  "It's only different as long as you won't see it for what it is.  Listen, sugar, I NEED to talk about this.  You need to know what all happened.  If it bothers you that much to see me drop a few measly tears, then close your eyes."

                Ranma was silent for a few moments, then shook his head ever so slightly.  "So what happened next, Ucchan?  What'd the thing say to you?"

                "That's the billion-yen question, isn't it?  What did it say to me?  Nothing, Ranchan--never once did that thing 'say' anything.  And there's a real good reason for that, but I didn't understand it just then.  That spirit..."  Ukyo paused for a moment, considering how best to explain this, before continuing.  "Obviously it wasn't human.  But I was still expecting it to THINK like humans do, and it didn't.  That wasn't how it worked.  When it stared at me and put out that sense of thinking I was inadequate, I thought it meant it like a person would.  And I was wrong."

                "You were?  It didn't mean it like that?" Ranma said, a frown creasing his brow.  "Wait a minute.  Just how else CAN you mean something like that?"

                Ukyo shrugged.  "Simple enough.  It didn't mean I wasn't a good enough person.  It meant I was human... only human.  Nothing more.  A powerless clueless little creature, bumbling through the world without any understanding of it.  And when I stepped forward and made my little speech, it didn't understand me any more than I had understood it.  The way the spirit saw things, I was accepting its offer.  The offer I didn't even realize was there."

                Ranma considered that.  "Is that when you got... changed?"

                The shadows began to shift and coil around Ukyo again.  "Yep.  Earth and air and fire and water and darkness and light.  Elemental magic.  I got given power over darkness."

***************

                In an instant the other was moving, no longer whirling about in the air above her, but now descending toward her in a rush.  Ukyo barely had time to flinch before everything changed.

                She hung motionless, suspended in a void.  Fear and courage alike drained out of her, along with her anger, the remnants of her pain, and everything else.  Ukyo felt herself being emptied, poured out like a glass, the contents of her soul laid bare.  As before when she had sensed the judgment of inadequacy, here she could feel the regard of the other once more, scrutinizing her, categorizing her, judging her far more thoroughly than she had been before.  However, empty as she was for the moment, this didn't particularly bother her.

                Ukyo had no idea how long this lasted.  She had no way to mark the passage of time, nor was she even capable of caring.  It might have been moments, it might have been years.  When the change came, though, it came swiftly indeed.

                Before, she had been emptied.  Now, in the reverse of that, all her cares and thoughts and hopes and dreams and memories were surging back into her, each as fresh and forceful as it had been when it first became part of her.  The pain of abandonment was there again, sharper even than it had been back in the cavern.  The uncertain happiness that came when Ranma pushed aside ten years of thinking she'd been a boy, looked at the girl she really was, and called her cute.  The triumph of cooking a perfectly-prepared okonomiyaki.  The shock when she first lost to the Crepe King.  The fierce satisfaction of her comeback victory.  All the joys and sorrows of her life, condensed into one searing burst of restoration, poured back into her in an instant, accompanied by new knowledge.  She didn't have time to process it now, but she had just been given some understanding of what was happening, glimmers and partial glimpses of insight that had come from the one changing her.

                Around her, the emptiness of the void cracked, collapsed, and was replaced by darkness.

***************

                "What happened next is hard to describe, Ranchan.  It was like... I was still me, but I'd left my shape behind... or maybe just lost the rules that say you have to have a shape.  I flowed like water, I was as thin as a gust of air.  I was everywhere in the world where there was shadow.  Faint ones under the early morning sun that almost weren't there at all.  Thick ones that had lain for years in closed-up houses.  Deep caves that hadn't know light _ever_, where hundreds of years ago water had seeped through the rock and dissolved it and carried it away, and left only darkness behind.  There, where the darkness was stronger, I could _feel the echoes of how it had happened._

                "The deeper and stronger and older the shadow, the stronger I felt like I was."  Ukyo spared a moment for a digression.  "You ever heard of the Marianas trench?"  When he shook his head, she explained, "It's a really, really deep trench in the ocean floor.  Deepest place in the whole ocean.  Bottom of that sucker is actually harsher and less hospitable than outer space, Ranchan.  No light _ever reaches there, and the pressure would crumple anything man-made like so much tinfoil.  But as my spirit passed through there, I felt strong enough to turn cartwheels through the water.  If I'd had a body, anyway.  Like I could swing my spatula and tear a hole in the face of the world._

                "That was the fun part."  Ukyo fell silent.

                After waiting for her to continue, Ranma prompted, "Fun part?  What happened next?"  In a pathetically weak attempt at humor, he added, "Or shouldn't I ask?"

                "You might as well ask, because I'm going to tell you."  Ukyo decided it was time for another digression.  Hopefully it would help make this next part come easier.  "The thing is, Ranchan, this power's kind of divided into two sides.  You've seen 'em both already, but you probably don't get what I'm talking about.  Do you?"

                "Lemme guess," Ranma said, thinking hard.  "Um... stuff that's real and stuff that isn't?"  When Ukyo blinked and gave him a questioning stare, he elaborated.  "Like, when you teleport around and beat the crap out of a couple of muggers.  That's real.  But when you send me dreams and stuff like that, well, it's not real.  Not really.  Right?"

                "Actually, sugar, you're on the right track," Ukyo said with a smile, "but your thinking's a little off.  It's not whether or not something's real... it's whether I'm touching the physical world, or using some kind of spiritual ability."

                "Spirit?" he echoed, then paused, considering.  "Huh.  Maybe that would be better than saying those dreams weren't real.  I mean, I always felt a lot better after I had one."  He gave Ukyo a bit of a challenging look.  "Guess it's just that I'm still kind of in the habit of thinking they weren't real."

                "You figured that out, huh?  That I put something in them that kept you from realizing they weren't just ordinary dreams?"

                "Yeah," Ranma said quietly.  "I felt it real clear in that last one, where it finally ripped itself to pieces."

                "Are you angry?"  Ukyo met his gaze unflinchingly.  "Are you mad that I did something like that, and didn't even ask you first?"

                "I dunno," Ranma said.  "I guess I just want to know why.  Why'd you do it like this?  Why DIDN'T you let me see those weren't just ordinary dreams?"

                "Because the whole point of this was to help you out, Ranchan.  I wanted to help you lose some of your stress.  It'd kinda defeat the point if you were spending your daylight hours worrying about the new batch of weirdness that was popping up in your life."

                "Okay."  That answer hadn't made all that much sense to him.  He hoped it would after he'd gotten a few more pieces of the puzzle.  "Then let me ask you this."  Ranma took a deep breath, then demanded, "Why'd you do it this way in the first place?!  Why all the stupid secrecy?  You wanted to help me out, then why'd you throw me out and tell me not to come back?!  That hurt, Ucchan.  It'd be one thing if you really meant all that stuff, but you didn't really leave me alone, you just pretended like you did.  So tell me.  Why'd you do it like this?"

                Ukyo looked away.  The darkness surrounding her grew a little deeper, a little more noticeable.  "To answer that, I need to get back to what happened next.  The not-so-fun part that came after me skipping through shadows all around the world.

                "That first part... that was when I got my physical powers, Ranma."  She turned back to face him, blinking new tears away.  "The spiritual part came next, and it was the closest thing to Hell that I'll ever live through."

***************

                Her jaunt around the world ended in a deep cave.  Ukyo only had a second of wonder to sense the barest echoes from a night that had lain there since the creation of the world... and then the cave was gone, and she hung motionless once again in the void.  However, it was different this time, shot through with darkness in some indescribable way.  Ukyo felt as if there were two realities here, the darkness and the emptiness, each overlaying the other.  She knew without a shadow of a doubt which one she'd prefer, but if there was any way for her to affect her surroundings, she couldn't find it.

                A voice interrupted her thoughts.  It came harshly, discordantly.  It wasn't that the words had been spoken in a harsh tone; it was rather that the speech itself didn't fit.  Such a mundane means of communication was as out of place here as if someone had grafted a spark plug into the living wood of a bonsai.  In the back of her mind, in the fragmentary understanding she'd gained from her earlier contact with the elemental force changing her, Ukyo sensed that this voice wasn't really part of the process.  It was instead the equivalent of a recording, something left by a mortal, someone who thought as she did, to give a little extra clarity to what was happening.

                For all the sense of discord, the words themselves were clear enough:  "One who would gain power over darkness must face the dark night of the soul."

***************

                "The dark night of the soul?  What'd that mean?" Ranma asked, unsure whether he really wanted to know.

                "Simple."  Ukyo squeezed her eyes shut, displacing a few more tears.  "Dreams.  Dark emotions.  That's not just a figure of speech, Ranchan.  Think back to those times you were hurting.  All that anger and fear and sorrow and betrayal and hurt.  You remember how you couldn't hide it anymore, in those dreams?  How you couldn't choke it back and pretend you weren't feeling it?  How you had to let it out, and then once you HAD let it out, it was gone?"

                "Yeah," he said.  "Is that what you had happen next?  It wasn't that bad, for me."

                Ukyo gave him a sad smile.  "I was drawing it out of you and neutralizing it, Ranchan.  That's only half of what happened to me.  Actually, less than half.  All the stuff I had stored up in me was shoved up to the surface, and it WASN'T pulled out and destroyed.

                "All the junk I'd pushed away, or that I'd forgiven and forgotten... BOOM!  It was all back, all at once.  All the bad, with none of the good mixed in.  And then..." Ukyo took a gulping breath, "...then it got worse.  Stuff that I really _hadn't_ seen before.  Not just what I hadn't let myself see, but things that had gone on when I wasn't around."

                "Like what?" Ranma whispered.  The words emerged almost against his will.  He had a very strong suspicion that he wasn't going to like whatever was coming next.

                Ukyo stretched out her hand, laying it flat in the air above the countertop.  A ragged wisp of shadow, faint and ephemeral, streamed down, forming the ghost of the screen she'd used once before to show him something out of the past.  "I can't do sound, Ranma.  But maybe you can recognize this scene anyway."

                Inside the screen Ranma saw himself, clad in a tuxedo and carrying a bunch of roses.  Ukyo was there as well, confronting him with a challenging scowl.  Ranma watched as the miniature pigtailed boy leaned forward, put his hands on Ukyo's shoulders, and asked her something.  Ukyo's anger faded in an instant; she looked away, fidgeting nervously, struggling with her response.

                He knew now what he was seeing.  Ranma rejected the impulse to close his eyes.  Echoing back from the corner of his mind came the words he'd spoken then, and the words she'd said in reply.

                "Ukyo, this is very important."  He'd paused then, so he could look into her eyes for a silent moment.  And then, he'd asked, "Do you love me?"

                "Ranma... I... I... O- of course I l- lo- love you..." Ukyo had barely been able to get the words out, her emotion fighting its way through her shyness.  The embarrassment had caught her up a second later, and, demanding to know how he could make her say something like that, she'd slapped him silly and run off in a cloud of dust.

                But this scene didn't fade with the removal of Ukyo from the picture.  Ranma watched, feeling a sick heaviness weighing down his heart, as the little tuxedo-clad boy got back to his feet, chuckling maniacally at the reassurance that he HADN'T lost his power over women, and then hurried off to seek the same response from Shampoo.

                The image winked out.  Ranma didn't even try to meet Ukyo's eyes.  "I'm sorry," he whispered.

                Her words sounded as if they were coming from far away.  "I'm sorry too.  Sorry I built so many dreams on top of a foundation that wasn't really there.  Sorry I didn't see how things really were.  I'm sorry I fell in love with someone who doesn't love me."

                "Ucchan... I care... it's just, not like that..."

                "Don't kid either of us, sugar."  Suddenly there was an edge in Ukyo's voice.  "You never even TRIED_._  It's just like you said that night after you came by and told me about Kaori.  You remember then, Ranma?  How you went off to that park and practiced and told your protests to the night wind?"

                "You were there?"

                "I was strong enough to tell you to leave."  The edge was gone again, replaced by weariness.  "Not strong enough not to follow you and see how you would take it.

                "And I guess I did.  How'd you put it, again?  'I'm not ready for this stuff'; 'I just keep going on and hoping things will work out'."

                "Is that some kinda crime?" Ranma asked bitterly.  "Is any of this my fault?  Did I ask for it?"

                "No, Ranchan, it's not your fault."  At least not all of it.  "And it's unfair as hell that you got it all dumped in your lap.  I'm sorry.  And I'll do everything I can to help you deal with it."

                "Like you helped me that night?" he replied, hating himself but unable to stop the words.  "When you threw me out and told me to get lost?"

                "Don't you get it?!" Ukyo exclaimed desperately.  "Do you really not understand what happened then?  What I meant, why I said what I did, what it meant today when I said that stuff didn't stand anymore?!  I told you to go.  Said don't come back unless you wanted to honor our engagement.  You didn't.  And last night I said you could come back here, that it was okay, no strings attached."

                "Ukyo, if you're tryin' to say something, just spit it out already," Ranma said tiredly.

                She closed her eyes and hung her head.  She'd known this was going to hurt, but she hadn't expected it to be this painful.  Was he being deliberately dense?  Okay, maybe she HAD failed him a little, with that damned relapse when he came by her place after the date with Shampoo.  Maybe she had reacted incredibly stupidly, clinging for a few moments to a hope she knew was dead.  But she'd made up for that failure!  She'd left subconscious hints of this truth in various dreams... he should have already realized it for himself.  There should be no need for her to drain these final dregs of pain!

                But apparently he did need her to spell it out for him, and so she answered, "I was letting go.  You want it put in words, all nice and official?  Fine.  I renounce our engagement, Ranma.  I finally saw how things really are, got it shoved in my face with no more room for wishful thinking or stupid, foolish hopes.  As far as I'm concerned, you're free.  One less honor chain hung around your neck."

                Silence fell.  Ranma turned this new development over in his mind, wondering why he didn't feel even a little relief.  "Then what are we?" he eventually asked, quietly, and with more than a little fear.

                Ukyo sighed.  "Friends.  Nothing more, nothing less."

***************

                The last of the morning had slipped away while Ukyo told her story, and it was now early afternoon.  In sharp contrast to the stormy day of her tale, the air outside the restaurant was balmy, the sky free of clouds.  The sun overhead shone brightly.

                To Ranma, currently seated on top of Ukyo's roof, it felt inappropriate as hell.

                "I'm sorry, Ucchan."  She wasn't here with him, at least not as far as Ranma could see.  He didn't really have anything like a good idea of the extent of her powers yet.  Maybe she'd hear this, or maybe not.  He didn't care either way.  Right now, he was just trying to collect his scattered thoughts.  "Didn't understand what you meant.  Guess that's no surprise, though... I haven't understood a lot of things."

                Ranma thought back to that moment when he'd thrown what she'd done in her face, when he'd made that crack about helping him by kicking him out.  For a few short moments, it had all seemed to make sense... or at least a kind of sense.  Ukyo had all these new abilities.  She could see and do and understand stuff she'd never been able to before.  So she was fixing things up to go the way she wanted them.

                She'd taken herself away while he was in a really rough patch.  SHE didn't give up spending time with HIM_, but he hadn't realized--hadn't been allowed to realize--that his oldest friend was still with him, still thinking about him.  Still there for him.  She'd watched and waited, keeping tabs on what was going on in his life, keeping a low profile as things got worse and worse with Akane... peering into his soul and knowing he was missing her, even as he did his best to keep his mind off it... and then, when he'd hit the bottom, she'd stepped in to tell him it was okay, he __wasn't alone, she was ready to be with him again._

                He'd had to ignore a few minor details to fit everything into this picture, but Ranma had plenty of experience not thinking things through fully.  In matters not related to martial arts, only if something was as obvious as a mallet to the head did he usually grasp it without effort.

                The significance of Ukyo's final explanation seemed about that obvious.

                His strategy of waiting and hoping that his problems would resolve themselves seemed to finally be working.  He'd gotten perhaps the most die-hard of his fiancées to give up, to finally let go of all hope of getting what she wanted.  Not only that, he still got to keep her as a friend... a friend who was offering him a place to stay and food to eat, and the benefit of her newly-acquired supernatural powers to help him solve his problems.  And asking nothing in return anymore.

                It was almost funny, really.  He'd never thought success would feel like his heart was being cut out of his chest.

                "How the _hell_ have I screwed up this badly?" he whispered, resisting the urge to pound his fist into the rooftop beside him.  That'd be a real nice touch--let out his stress, damage Ucchan's restaurant.  "I just... I didn't know what to do.  I wanted things to get _better!  Not keep on sinking further and further down the toilet!"_

                He clenched his eyes shut.  '_Guess I really am as stupid as Akane always said.  It's not like things just got real bad all of a sudden.  They've been screwed up ever since Jusenkyo.  I've had problems left and right ever since I got to Nerima, and I only managed to solve a few of 'em.'  He gave a snort as he remembered that the engagement to Kaori was a problem he'd __thought he solved, all those months ago.  '__Each time I did get rid of something, it wasn't by keeping my head down and hoping it'd go away.  Anytime I did that, it just let whatever it was drag on and on.  But did I learn anything?'  A louder, more bitter snort.  Aloud, he muttered, "Hell, no.  I just kept on doing what wasn't working.  Real good there, Ranma.  Real smart."_

                It hadn't just dragged him down; anyone too close got burned as well.  Kaori hadn't spent a whole lot of time around him, but she'd received her fair measure of grief.  His lie about just which body was the real him had sent Shampoo fleeing home in tears, only to return with a Jusenkyo curse.  It certainly hadn't kept her from being stuck here in Japan, lonely (he still felt like a heel when he thought back to that rooftop discussion, and remembered that he'd never even suspected this).  Akane had spent so much time angry, either because of something he'd done, or something someone else had done for him.  At least Kaede hadn't endured any real trouble yet, which was one small bright spot... one bright spot that felt very small indeed, insignificant even, when his thoughts turned to the last of the fiancée brigade.

                He'd never really let himself think about what Ukyo had lost.  What his father's action had cost her.  The theft of the yattai had to have been a serious financial blow to her family.  Follow this up with ten years of hiding who she really was... could she have had any real friends during that time?  With the secret she had to keep?  Now that he was actually considering such things, he doubted it.  And yet, even after all that, she'd been ready to forgive him.  Had satisfied herself with her 'revenge' against Genma... a beating less painful than many Ranma himself had inflicted on his old man.

                She'd taken the path of temperance and forgiveness, and what had it gotten her?**  Things she'd said two months ago came back to him now, clearer and more painful than ever.  What Ukyo had here, she'd worked hard to achieve.  The chef had made a place in Nerima for herself by sheer hard work and determination, and how much had she had to sacrifice to do that?  How much time could she possibly have for the things she wanted to do for herself, when she had school and her restaurant to run?  And who had ever supported her?**

                He could only think of one time when he'd really come to her aid.  He wasn't even sure he and Akane hadn't done more harm than good, though, in that affair with the Crepe King.  Contrast this to what Ukyo had done for him, such as giving him free food anytime he asked... and putting everything on hold to help him when Happosai had sealed his strength... and providing a place for him when the Tendos threw him out during the affair with the Gambling King... well, maybe that last one wasn't such a big deal, given her feelings for him (cue mental wince and hurried shift to next thought).  But she'd also let the Tendos themselves stay, after they'd had their own rash of losses to the King and just come to her restaurant and let themselves in.  She hadn't exactly been happy about it, and she _had _tried to get them out of there... by helping Ranma himself train to take down the Gambling King so they'd get back their dojo and the lost pieces of their home.

                Ranma spared a minute to contrast this to the Tendos' behavior during the affair with Ukyo's secret sauce, and the efforts _they_ had made to get rid of _her_, before pushing those memories away again.  His own behavior during that time was nothing he cared to think about just now.

                And things had come at last to the final bitter extent.  She'd lost so much already... and now she'd even had her humanity taken away from her.  And how had it happened?  Had she been messing around with a magical artifact that'd let her control him?  No.  Had she ticked off some kind of mystical prince?  No again.  She'd been looking for a cure for his gods-damned curse.  And instead she got given power she'd never asked for, and a boatload of pain that she'd never, ever have wanted.  That he'd never, ever have wanted for her.

                "I'm sorry, Ucchan," he whispered again.  "So sorry.  It shoulda been me.  You shoulda come to me with that stupid stick and let me be the one who took the hit.  You sure didn't deserve this.  Not any of it."  She got dark knives of pain tearing holes in her soul... and what did he get?  What was his part of this bargain?  He got his oldest friend still firmly in his corner, asking less in return than before, more determined than ever to help him out, and stronger than ever to be able to do so.  If there was any justice, there had better be some good come for Ukyo out of this whole debacle.

                The trouble was, he'd seen precious damn little justice in his life, or in the lives of his friends.

                '_Guess this is where I need to learn something, though,' Ranma thought grimly.  '_Can't just expect justice or an even break.  You've got to work for it_.__  I'VE got to work for it.  I'm not gonna just blow this off, this time.  I damn well will  find some way to make things better for Ucchan.'  He sighed.  '__And everyone else too, or at least as many as I can.'_

                Here, with the old established patterns of his life finally pulled down and ruined, Ranma could admit that he had screwed up, and that it was time for a change.  Unfortunately, that was the extent of his new-found clarity.  He knew he had to do something different.  What that something might be, he wasn't sure yet.

                But just because he didn't have an answer now, that didn't mean he wouldn't find one.  Now that he was actually facing some of these issues, rather than ducking his head under the sand, Ranma found that at least he had an idea of what his immediate next step should be.  He usually had the most success in life when he viewed things through the paradigm of martial arts... and in a fight when you don't seem to have any winning option, it's time for the Saotome Final Attack.  Get some distance between yourself and the battle, come up with a new plan, and then attack again when you're ready.

                The best part was he was ALREADY doing this, thanks to Ukyo's provision.  He was out of the battlefield, and given the way she'd acted in the previous two months hopefully no-one would think to look for him here.  He had the necessary distance separating himself from the conflict, and he even had someone with abilities he couldn't match to help him come up with a plan.

                Ranma allowed himself one tiny, guarded smile.  It would be enough.  It HAD to be enough.

                Feeling a good bit better now, he got to his feet and began to perform a slow, tight kata.  There wasn't all that much room on the rooftop, but that was okay.  He might not be in the depths of despair anymore, but he was nowhere near ready for any exuberant, gravity-defying leaps and bounds.

                Still, he thought absently, it might be nice to have another one of those fly-the-heck-away-from-Nerima dreams tonight.  He'd have to remember to ask Ucchan about that.  It would feel a little strange to see her there without her disguise, but like she'd told him herself, sooner or later change must come.

                That thought triggered another.  He spared a brief moment to wonder what was going on elsewhere in Nerima, and what other sorts of changes might be taking place.

***************

                The two soon-to-be-combatants stood in a vacant lot, separated from each other by roughly half its length.  For the moment neither carried visible weapons, though that could and probably would change before too long.  The bright sunlight streamed down around them, raising brilliant highlights in the long lavender hair of one girl.  To the other, whose hair wouldn't glow like that even if she were bombarded with large amounts of radiation, it was just one more of her opponent's annoying, unfair advantages.

                After a long moment of brooding silence, Kaede spoke.  "Is there any kind of special form to follow?"

                "What you mean?"

                "I mean, for the fight."  Kaede put on her best challenging look.  "For the agreement that after I kick your butt, you won't give me a Kiss of Death."

                Shampoo allowed herself an amused sniff.  "No.  We just agree beforehand that it will not apply.  You say you want that, Shampoo more than happy to go by it too.  Law of Kiss of Death does not count for match we is about to have."

                "Glad to hear it."  Kaede assumed a ready stance, staring into Shampoo's eyes.  "Anytime you're ready, China girl."

                "Shampoo always ready for good fight."  The Amazon smirked at her opponent.  "You going to give me one, Kaede?  You no do so good in last match, and that was not that long ago.  You sure you ready for this?"

                Kaede began stalking forward.  "Guess we'll find out," she retorted.

                Shampoo let her come.  Underneath the carefree mocking attitude, she was experiencing a bit of uncertainty.  Like she had said, it hadn't been very long since the battle in which she had utterly squashed this member of the competition.  From what she had seen so far of Kaede, she was willing to give the other girl the benefit of a doubt... but if it turned out that she was pulling an Akane, and challenging Shampoo again when she was nowhere near ready, the Amazon was going to be very, very disappointed.

                By now Kaede had crossed most of the intervening distance separating herself from her opponent.  Rather than continue coming straight in, she changed the angle of her course.  Shampoo began moving as well, and the two circled each other for a few moments.

                The Amazon made the first move.  Abandoning the circular sidling, she darted forward with a yell, then jumped into the air just before she could close within striking distance.  Unlike in the challenge to Akane, this leap was angled to carry her a fair distance behind Kaede.  However, as Shampoo passed overhead, she shot one fist down, intending to bounce a low-powered (for her, anyway) strike off her opponent's skull.

                Kaede hadn't really expected this sort of tactic, but she wasn't caught too much by surprise.  She hesitated just for an instant as Shampoo made her initial leap, and then the Japanese girl dropped low and rolled quickly to one side, quickly enough that she would have dodged any weapon her opponent might have seen fit to pull out and throw while she was out of Kaede's line of sight.

                It had been an unnecessary precaution, though.  Shampoo's fist moved through empty air, but her weapons were all still stowed away.  The Amazon twisted, reorienting herself in midair so that when she landed she was still facing Kaede, then darted forward again.  This time she elected to remain on the ground, launching a testing series of punches at roughly three-quarters her current top speed.

                Kaede blocked the first few, wincing from the force of the impact.  Shampoo was also holding back in terms of power, striking at less than half strength.  But the Amazon was built for power; Kaede's slight form would never be able to match her for sheer brute force.  Shampoo frowned as she felt her opponent's guard beginning to crumble.  This was just plain stupid.  The girl wasn't even trying to deflect the strikes instead of blocking them.  Clearly Kaede had overestimated herself badly, despite Shampoo's hopes to the con--

                Through the ache, Kaede smiled.  Shampoo had just slowed down in order to throw a stronger punch, which was what she had been waiting for.  She slipped to one side and called on all her new speed, one hand blurring from visibility, striking the nerve cluster in her opponent's elbow with the attack she'd meant to use in their first battle.

                Shampoo's eyes widened at the sudden dramatic increase in speed, and at the way her entire arm had suddenly become unresponsive.  It wasn't numb, though; instead, the acute sensation of pins and needles flooded through her limb, a distraction worse than pain would have been.  This threw her off-balance for a critical moment, just enough for her to see but be unable to stop her opponent's next move, a high kick which slammed directly into her jaw.

                The impact knocked Shampoo backwards, but she remained on her feet.  Seeking to capitalize on her advantage, Kaede pushed forward, twisting for a stronger roundhouse kick while her opponent would still be disoriented and dizzy from the last attack.  Unfortunately for the Japanese girl, her previous kick hadn't been nearly strong enough to really affect someone who'd trained to learn the Bakkusai Tenketsu.  Especially not someone who'd been doing extra endurance training lately, driven by the desire to really impress her husband once the time came for Cologne's offer to train the two of them together.

                Kaede didn't have time for more than a blink of dismay, noting an instant after she'd committed to her follow-up attack... an instant too late... that Shampoo's eyes were still hard and focused.  The Amazon's good hand shot out and caught her incoming roundhouse kick, closing around her ankle in a grip of iron.  Shampoo pivoted, tossing Kaede through the air, getting some distance between them again.  Quickly, while she had the chance, she began tapping a sequence of shiatsu points that would increase the flow of chi through the limb.  She knew that would speed up recovery from whatever effect Kaede had used; the question was whether it would speed said recovery enough to be useful.  If this effect was one that naturally lasted hours, well, cutting that time in half would be nice, but not nearly nice enough.

                As she landed from her impromptu flight, Kaede caught sight of Shampoo's attempt to undo the effects of her strike.  Knowing that if she couldn't even keep that advantage this fight was as good as lost, she quickly pulled out her tonfa, commended her soul to God, and shot forward at the absolute maximum speed she could manage.

                Shampoo cursed in Mandarin, abandoning the healing technique before she could finish hitting all the points, and pulling out a bonbori.  She gave ground, backing away from Kaede's charge while using the mace's longer reach to keep her opponent at bay.  It was annoying to recognize that the other girl was now actually a little faster than she was.  As long as she kept backing away, she could maintain her defense, but retreating like this was something Shampoo didn't particularly like to do.

                This kept up for nearly a minute.  Kaede herded Shampoo backwards, attempting to pin her against the wall that formed the boundary of their battleground.  Unfortunately, when Shampoo reached the wall, Kaede misjudged which direction the Chinese girl would turn.  Shampoo twisted like an eel, darting to one side in the split second when Kaede's anticipation was focused in the other direction, changing the path of her retreat by ninety degrees.  This left the two fighters moving parallel to the wall; as the path of Shampoo's retreat took her nearer and nearer the corner, Kaede's spirits rose higher and higher.  Keeping up this level of speed was beginning to drain her reserves, but that was okay... no way would Shampoo be able to avoid her for much longer...

                As she sensed the approach of the trap, Shampoo met Kaede's gaze, closing one eye in a wink... and shifted her defense in rather an unexpected way.  She didn't even try to block the incoming tonfa strike, shooting her bonbori forward instead to knock Kaede's empty hand aside.  Kaede's weapon slammed into her a split second later.  However, since she had been expecting it, Shampoo was able to basically ignore the blunt impact, releasing her grip on her bonbori and then swinging the fist that was now inside Kaede's guard.  She landed a solid blow, striking the Japanese girl's jaw with force enough to bounce her off the wall beside her.

                Kaede didn't completely lose consciousness, but she was definitely out of commission for several seconds.  When the mists cleared away from her vision, she found herself still on her feet, with the rough surface of the wall behind her.  Shampoo was standing several yards away, not even looking at Kaede as she resumed the aborted healing technique.  Kaede tensed, trying to prepare herself for one last effort... and then she sagged.  Her head was still spinning, she'd spent at least two thirds of her strength, Shampoo was just too far away for her to cross the intervening distance before the Amazon could react, and the only weapon she still had on her was the sai strapped to her left leg.  Kaede _really_ didn't want to think about what would likely happen if she pulled that out and charged.

                She blinked, suddenly realizing that there was one additional impediment.  She was currently immobile, held upright by something other than her own strength.  Glancing down at herself brought the answer--she was pinned to the wall behind her by a bunch of forks.  The tines of the utensils pierced through her clothing, lodging in the stone behind her.  A few experimental twists and tugs revealed not the slightest give to any of them.

                Since Kaede had no intention of tearing her way free by sheer brute force (mainly because she was all but certain she couldn't), she swallowed her pride and called out, "Shampoo!  Could you please let me loose already?!"

                Shampoo looked up from her still-unresponsive arm.  "How long this take to wear off, anyway?"

                Kaede grumbled something under her breath, then replied, "I don't know.  It all depends on how strong you are."

                "Well, if Shampoo not able to work dinner shift tonight, will tell Great-Grandmother to take it out of your hide."  Kaede didn't exactly turn pale, but she did gulp involuntarily, which gave Shampoo a bit of satisfaction.  She was getting quite tired of this stupid pins-and-needles sensation.  Of course if Cologne were to punish anyone it would be Shampoo herself for her carelessness, and anyway the Cat Café was closed for now, but Kaede didn't need to know that.

                "Okay, fine.  Are you just going to leave me stuck here, so she knows where to find me?!" Kaede demanded.

                "Do you give up?  Agree that fight is over, and Shampoo won?"

                The other girl heaved a sigh.  "Yeah, you win this round.  Don't get used to it, though... it's NOT gonna be like this forever."

                Shampoo shrugged, walked forward, and began pulling the forks out of the wall.  "Hey, at least you did give good fight," she said in a tone of obvious respect that improved Kaede's mood a fair bit.  "As good as if had real Amazon sister here.  Is okay for Shampoo to get used to that?"

***************

                 She had respected his privacy, though it had been a bit of a struggle.  So when Ukyo heard Ranma returning from the rooftop, slipping through an open window to enter the guest bedroom, she wasn't sure what to expect.  She hadn't thought he would take her story this hard.  Probably blaming himself, she thought moodily, even though what had happened had been her choice from beginning to end.

                As he came down the stairs and joined her in the main room of the restaurant, Ukyo was glad to see that his spirits had picked up quite a bit.  She gave a smile of her own, though it was one tinged with bittersweetness.  It had surprised her when Ranma hadn't seemed gladdened or even relieved at her final declaration during their previous conversation... after all, she had been shown QUITE clearly that there was no hope of her dream of marriage to him ever coming true.  He must just have needed some time for her message to sink in.

                "Feeling better?" she asked.

                Ranma nodded, walking over toward her.  Rather than her usual spot behind the grill, Ukyo was seated on one of the stools on its opposite side.  He sat down next to her.  "A little better," he elaborated.

                "I'm glad."  A little better would do for now.  Ukyo knew there was no way to quickly and easily solve all the problems in her best friend's life.

                He took a deep breath.  "So could ya pick up where you left off, Ucchan?  I need to hear more about what's happened to you."  Ranma attempted to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace.  "Hope none of the rest of it was anywhere near that bad."

                "No, it wasn't."  Ukyo thought back over all that had happened since that moment when darkness was woven through her soul.  There was still an awful lot to tell him.  "You got any specific questions, Ranchan?  Anything in particular you were wondering?"

                "Uh, okay.  How about telling me what all you can do?  I bet there's a lot more than what I've seen so far."

                "Not really," Ukyo replied.  "You have seen pretty much all my powers.  But I probably do need to explain them a little more thoroughly."  Ranma gave her an expectant, 'go on' sort of look, and she continued.  "Guess I'll start with the thing I like the best."  The dark aura appeared around her again.  "When someone's hurting, when they're really angry, when they're miserable, when they're feeling worthless, when they're lonely... I can pull those dark emotions out of them and get rid of them, Ranchan."

                She looked down, not meeting his gaze for the moment.  "Too often, people will just push those things to the back of their minds, not really dealing with them.  And that's really, really bad in the long run.  It's not exactly the same thing as if I was healing their spirits--I have a feeling that's a Light-based power--but I can pull the bad stuff out of them so they can hopefully start to heal on their own."

                "That does sound pretty cool," Ranma agreed, thinking of it in terms of a doctor removing bits of dirt and gravel from a wound.  Then he frowned as something else occurred to him.  "Wait a minute.  You don't, like, take that junk out of them and carry it yourself, do you?"

                "Hell, no!" Ukyo exclaimed, her eyes widening dramatically, as if the question had scared the living daylights out of her.  "I wouldn't even BE here today if that's how it worked!!"

                "Why not?"

                His question fell into a sudden, awkward silence.  Ukyo mentally kicked herself for overreacting.  Still, she had been planning to tell him sooner or later.  This was probably as good a way to lead into it as any.  After marshalling her thoughts, she spoke one word, three quiet syllables that nevertheless seemed to echo through the room.  "Kodachi."

                Ranma blinked.  "What about her?" he asked, his stomach tightening.

                Ukyo opted not to answer with words just yet.  Instead, she turned to lean over the counter, stretching out one hand and forming another shadow screen.

                The scene depicted within showed a small, plain room.  There was a cot along one wall.  The only other furniture consisted of a utilitarian desk and a chair.  There were several books piled at one corner of the desk, and the chair held something as well--a girl in her mid-to-late teens sat there, looking down at another book spread open on the desk before her.  The image held static only for an instant, then zoomed in and began a slow rotation centered around the girl.

                Ukyo had generated this scene in response to a question about Kodachi.  This fact was the only thing that enabled him to instantly recognize the Black Rose in the girl seated there.  Her hair was unbound, streaming down her back in gentle waves.  Instead of a form-fitting leotard, she wore unflattering white garments that seemed vaguely reminiscent of hospital garb.  These changes were trivial, though, compared to the look on her face.

                Gone was the usual challenging stare, the haughty expression, the wild look of being ready at any instant to pull off some outrageous and perhaps cruel antic.  This girl seemed both calm and peaceful... as peaceful as ever he'd seen Kasumi.  On the other hand, Kodachi was focusing on the book below her with a concentration that he hadn't often observed in the eldest Tendo daughter.

                Ranma stared at the scene, then turned to look at Ukyo.  "Is this happening right now?"

                She shook her head.  "I can only show memories like this.  It's from last week."  She sighed.  "I check up on her from time to time."

                "She really is in a mental hospital, isn't she."  He'd realized why those clothes resembled medical garb.  "Kuno was just bein' his usual stupid self when he said he'd looked into it and found out that wasn't true."

                The scene winked out as Ukyo shrugged.  "He did look into it.  He did find her.  He couldn't accept finding someone so different from the sister he remembered... someone who could stare him in the eye with no hint of recognizing who he was."

                "And you did that to her?" Ranma asked.  It was a rhetorical question.  Even he could see that Ukyo's reactions indicated she felt both responsibility and remorse.  He wasn't sure yet why she should feel the second one, but she probably had a good reason.  Still, Kodachi didn't seem unhappy, which was more than he could say for Ucchan.  Because he didn't want that second part to stay true, Ranma continued before his friend could say anything.  "She seems a lot nicer now."

                "Nicer, happier, better off..."  Ukyo shrugged.  "Yeah, I think so too."  She looked down.  "I did want that.  But I didn't mean for it to happen like this."

                Ranma waited, and after a few moments of silence, his companion continued.  "Before I sent you any dreams, before I saved that girl... there was Kodachi.  Figured I'd deal with her and let that be the first time I used these powers to make a difference."

                "Did ya mean to do something other than what you did?" Ranma asked.  "What did you do anyway?"

                "I wanted to help her.  Wanted to do what I just told you about a little while ago--draw out and shred the darkness that was weighing her down.  But insanity's not the same thing as a flash of anger or a fit of depression.  Kodachi's darkness ran clear through her mind.  I tried to pull it out and get rid of it, and leave her free."  Ukyo chuckled mirthlessly.  "Technically, it worked.  I just didn't realize it would leave her like this.  She's nothing but a ghost of what she used to be."

                Ranma looked down at the empty air, still seeing the vision in his mind's eye.  "How bad off is she?" he asked.  "It didn't look like you reduced her to a vegetable or nothing."

                "Nope.  Tabula rasa."  Ukyo didn't wait for Ranma's expression to shift into a look of confusion.  "One of the doctors who examined her used that term.  It means 'blank slate'.  She's forgotten... no, not forgotten.  Even with amnesia you can sometimes get your memories back.  It's GONE, Ranchan.  Everything except some basic skills, like language and toilet training.  But everything else, the stuff she'll need to know to live on her own and interact with other people, to have a normal life, she has to relearn it."

                '_Or learn it in the first place,_' Ranma thought to himself.  "So that's what's happening now?  The doctors are teaching her that stuff?"  Ukyo nodded.  "How's it going?  Do they think she'll be able to make it on her own eventually?"

                "Yeah.  Kodachi's smart.  Probably smarter than any of us."  The chef snorted, remembering the I.Q. test she'd watched the doctors administer to their patient.  Ukyo had worked on the questions and conundrums as well, in silence, and it was rather annoying that the girl whose mind she'd wiped had outperformed her by a wide margin.  "They think she'll make a full recovery.  At least... well, maybe 'recovery' isn't the right word, since she won't be the same as she was before.

"What I meant is, they think she'll be as functional as any normal person.  A year from now, probably the only thing left in her from this experience will be her new personality.  They expect she'll be quiet and shy for the rest of her life."

                "That's a heck of an improvement over the old Kodachi."  Ranma gave Ukyo a tentative smile.  "You know, just about everything you've said sounds like an improvement.  Even the memory loss.  She won't have to remember throwin' razor hoops around, or drugging people, or any of the rest of it."

                "Yeah.  Like I said, she is better off now.  Probably better off in every way."

                "Right.  So why the long face, Ucchan?" he demanded.  "Why're you feeling guilty about this?!  Heck, if somebody came up ta me and told me to make a decision, have this happen to Kodachi or leave her like she was, I know which choice I'd pick.  Wouldn't spend any sleepless nights trying to decide, that's for sure."

                "It's not that simple, Ranchan."  Ukyo looked away.  "It's not really about Kodachi, at least not just her."

                After waiting a few moments for Ukyo to say what it WAS really about, Ranma prompted, "What do you mean?"

                "I mean, this isn't what I meant to do!" she burst out.  "Never mind whether it worked out for the best.  Don't you get it?!  I've got these powers, and the very first time I try to use them, I get something that wasn't what I was trying for.  Something permanent, that I can't undo, that NOBODY can undo!  What if it HAD been bad for Kodachi?!  What then?!"

                "I don't know," he admitted.  "But it didn't happen, Ucchan, you shouldn't--"

                "DON'T say that!!" she yelled.  "Don't give me what you gave Shampoo, about not wasting your time looking at the past.  Not looking at things I didn't want to is what ripped a hole in my heart in the first place!  Not seeing things as they really are can KILL you, Ranma!  Or make you WISH you were dead!!"

                She ran out of energy then, lapsing into relative silence broken only by her own deep, heaving breaths.  After a few moments, Ukyo felt strong enough to focus on him again... and almost immediately wished she hadn't.  Ranma had half-turned in his seat, looking away from her, but she could still see that his eyes were hooded with pain.  The chef grimaced bitterly, running the last few minutes back through her mind.  "Sorry.  I didn't mean to yell like that.  I'm not mad at you.  It just... it hurts like fire, that I've got all this power, and I don't dare to use it like I really want."

                Encouraged by the fact that he was now looking at her again, a quizzical look beginning to displace the pain, Ukyo continued.  "That was the first real coherent thought I had, once I got back from my little trip beyond the boundaries of the world.  That maybe I'd just had my soul seared and burned on a hot grill, but at least some good was gonna come of it.  At least I'd be able to help you like I couldn't have before."

                "Why'd you think I needed that much help?" Ranma asked.

                "Oh, I don't know," Ukyo said, trying for sarcasm but only achieving bitterness.  "Maybe it was the glimpses of possible futures I got shown in that whole 'dark night of the soul' thing.  One where you decided seppuku was the easy way out.  Another where Akane cracked your skull open in a really nasty fit of temper.  That's the kind of stuff I saw, Ranchan.  Before then I'd never realized just how bad things were getting here.  I'm ashamed of that.  And I'll help you, the best I can do.  It just hurts that I can't do everything I'd like to."

                "What do you wish you could do, Ucchan?  Wave your hand and solve all my problems for me?" Ranma asked, with the barest hint of a frown.  While part of him thought that sounded nice, his pride--beaten and battered though it was from recent events--rejected the thought.  Help would be one thing, but helplessness was something he'd never embrace.

                She stared soberly back at him.  "I'd like to.  But even at the very beginning, that isn't what I was planning to do.  My first idea was to fix up Kodachi, then go to you and explain everything, and show you the new and improved Black Rose to back up my claims.  So you'd know that I really did have the power to make a difference, to help you out.  And then we'd work together to solve those problems.  That was the plan."

                "And you changed plans, when that very first thing didn't go right for you."  He was still a little confused as to why she'd switched over to the dreams, but decided to save that question for later.

                "It hit me really hard, Ranchan.  I already told you that.  I might be more powerful than before, but I was nowhere near as in-control as I thought I was going to be."  She dropped her gaze.  "Like when you dropped that Kaori bomb on me and I blew up.  I don't think I made this real clear earlier, but I hadn't been planning on doing it that way.  I knew I needed to end our engagement, but I wanted to find a less painful way of doing it.  You just caught me when I was weak and hurting.  I'm sorry."

                "'sokay," Ranma muttered.  "You got nothing to apologize for, Ucchan."

                "Doesn't make me less sorry.  Sorry about that, about things in general, sorry I can't help you as much as I first thought I could."

                "You warned me about Mousse."  The thought blazed forth in a sudden flash of clarity.  "Even though you wanted to just deal with him yourself.  That was what I felt, back in that dream.  You coulda handled him just like you did those muggers, but you let me take care of my own problem with a little help."

                She smiled back at him, a proud, sad, weary expression.  "Do you think I did the right thing, Ranchan?"

                "Yeah."  He said it quietly, with no special attempt made to seem sincere.  To Ukyo, that quiet response was all the more convincing for its matter-of-factness; some of the weariness eased out of her expression.  "Thanks, Ucchan," Ranma continued, and a little more vanished.  Hoping to wipe out the rest, and maybe make some inroads on the sadness as well, her best friend forced a grin.  "Hey, where were ya when I needed help with Kuno?  He actually managed to draw blood on me.  Once he gets out of the loony bin, he's gonna brag about that for the rest of his life!"

                Ukyo snorted.  "Golly gee, can you forgive me?  I WISH I could've done more.  But you see, there's this problem... the brighter the light is in a place, the weaker my powers are there.  I barely managed to detect that stupid sword inside Kuno's bokken in the first place; it was all I could do to blunt the edge as much as I did.  If it weren't for the darkness inside that shell, between the wood and the metal, I couldn't even have done that."

                Humor forgotten, Ranma spent the next several seconds gaping at Ukyo.  "You mean... you did...?"

                She rolled her eyes.  "Well, _duh, Ranchan.  You pressed your arm straight down against the edge of a katana, for crying out loud.  A katana belonging to Mr. Tatewaki Samurai Wannabe Kuno.  That thing would've cut clear to your bone if I'd been out sick that day."_

                "I'm glad you weren't," Ranma said quietly, recovering at least a little of his balance.  "I'm glad you were there, looking out for me."

***************

                Ryoga had no idea where he was, but that was nothing unusual.  Nor was the fact that he currently stood less than a foot off the ground, his humanity temporarily washed away by water he hadn't even seen coming.  He was depressed, angry, brooding over his latest defeat, thinking about how he might finally triumph over Ranma... again, nothing out of the ordinary.

                Except that for once the 'latest defeat' hadn't been handed to him by his pigtailed rival.  Ryoga was doing his best to keep this pushed to the back of his mind.  He had no real desire to think back to the specifics of that battle, or the ease with which the newest Nerima nutcase had taken him out.  Ryoga kept the memories at bay as best he could, concentrating on the important stuff.  Namely, that the fight--and what was worse, the hateful contempt that girl had shown for Akane--was all Ranma's fault.   Whoever the newcomer was, she wouldn't even be here if it weren't for that womanizing jerk.  Did Ranma care, though?  Did he have even a shred of decency in his heart, to feel remorse over the trouble and dishonor he caused over and over and over again for Akane?  Or for Ryoga himself?  The boy-turned-pig snorted at the thought.  He'd bet every one of his bandanas against it.

                Well, if there was any justice, Ranma would pay.  Ryoga wasn't quite ready yet, but soon he would have the means needed to finally pay his rival back for all his crimes, to finally earn the victory he deserved.  Ryoga thought back to the source of his recent inspiration, and gave a grunting whuffle that was the best approximation his cursed form could make to a dire, ominous laugh.  He could almost picture it now... himself walking forward, tall and proud; the mystery girl's face taking on an expression of stunned horror mixed with awe as he dropped Ranma's twisted, bruised, unconscious, DEFEATED form before her and thanked her for the lesson she had taught him... Akane would be there too, thankful to finally be free of Ranma's perversion, thankful too to know who she could really depend on... heck, not just Akane, but the whole Tendo family... he could see it so clearly, even gentle Kasumi facing Ranma with a dark frown, then turning away to regard Ryoga himself with gratitude and relief...

                Ryoga blinked as reality suddenly intruded on his fantasy.  The world was spinning!  The ground was falling away beneath his trotters!  He squealed, reflexively struggling, then realized a moment later that he'd just been picked up.  Looking up and identifying the perpetrator, he relaxed into relieved amiability.

                Kasumi stared down at the little black piglet with an expression of gratitude and relief.  "I don't know why you wander off so often, P-chan, but I'm glad you came back just now."  She walked back toward the house, grateful that the evening dusk hadn't quite been dark enough yet to prevent her from seeing her sister's pet wandering in the street outside.  "Akane will be glad to see you."

                THAT was more than enough to wipe all thoughts of angst and anger from Ryoga's mind.  He closed his eyes, savoring rather different emotions now.  As a result, he didn't see Soun or Nabiki as Kasumi carried him into the house.  Not that it likely would have made a difference if he had; Ryoga could be as clueless as Ranma about many things, and he probably wouldn't have seen anything worth noticing in Soun's drawn, tired expression.  As for Nabiki, she was wearing her usual mask, which flickered only for an instant as she sent a sharp gaze Ryoga's way.

                "Is Akane still upstairs?" Kasumi asked.  Nabiki grunted, which Kasumi understood to be a 'yes'.  The eldest Tendo daughter headed to the second floor hallway and knocked on her sister's bedroom door.  After receiving no response, she knocked again, a little more forcefully, and called out, "Akane?"

                "What is it, Kasumi?"  Akane's voice came from the other side of the door, tense and strained.  Ryoga opened his eyes, startled at the tone she'd used.  Akane certainly hadn't sounded happy.  Surely that would change, though, when she saw the reason Kasumi was here.

                "I found something of yours.  Can I come in?"

                "I guess so."  Akane's reply came with an utter lack of enthusiasm.  Kasumi opened the door and entered the bedroom, with Ryoga's gaze seeking out Akane even before the door had swung fully open.  She was seated on her bed, working with her weights.  She'd evidently been putting quite a bit of effort into it, as she was sweaty and flushed from the exertion.  The look on her face made it clear that her workout hadn't been affording her any real relief or satisfaction.  That changed, though, when she saw what her sister was carrying.  "P-chan!  Did he show up just now, Kasumi?"

                "That's right.  I thought you'd be happy to see him."  Kasumi walked over to the bed and passed the porcine parcel over to her younger sibling.

                Akane dropped the barbells and gathered him into her arms.  "Thanks, big sister."

                "You're welcome, Akane."  Kasumi hesitated, as if wondering whether to say something else, then bid her sister goodbye and headed out of the room.

                "I'm glad you're back, baby," Akane said softly, settling the piglet into her lap.  She began to gently scratch him along his spine.  Ryoga grunted in appreciation.  "I wish you'd gotten back sooner.  But at least you're here now."

                Akane's hand faltered, ever so slightly.  Ryoga didn't notice.  "You always do seem to show up when I need a friend, P-chan.  You pulled me out of the water after that idiot Ranma almost got me drowned after the fight with the Golden Pair... you were there at Ryugenzawa when I almost got eaten by a dragon...   you were there on Toma's island too..."

                By now Ryoga was fighting an urge to fidget.  He still wasn't sure how Akane could have seen her pet turn up in some of those places and not start to suspect the truth.  Hoping to take her mind away from these trips down memory lane, he turned on her lap, gave a playful squeal, and bumped his head against her other arm.  Akane obliged by scratching his head as well.  Both her hands were beginning to tremble now, strongly enough that Ryoga did notice an odd quality in the familiar sensations.

                "I'm glad you're here now..." Akane said again, interrupting the sentence with a curious gulping sound.  "P-chan, I'm... I'm so..."  Another gulp, or rather a series of them.  "Things are r- really bad right now."  A single drop of water splashed against the piglet's back.  He looked up, eyes widening in helpless, surprised dismay, to see tears flooding Akane's eyes.  "It's Ranma.  It's, it's always R- Ranma.  Why c- can't he ever be n- nice to me, P-chan?!  Why... WHY does h- he always p- put those other, other g- girls ahead of m- m- me?!"

                Ryoga watched, feeling more helpless than ever, as the dam broke.  The familiar safeguard would serve no longer; the anger could no longer shield her from the pain.  Akane held him tightly and cried hot tears mixed of equal parts anger and misery.  It took a long time for the storm to pass, twilight deepening into true night before she eventually cried herself out.

                She didn't seem to be feeling much better, though.  Slowly, haltingly, Akane told her pet what had happened lately, pausing every so often to sniffle and wipe at her reddened eyes.  Ryoga's eyes were red, too, by the time she'd finished, though in his case this was due to something rather different from tears.

***************

                Ranma closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of the wind in his hair.  It was a rather windy night; the air rushed past him with nearly enough vigor that he could almost imagine he was already soaring through the night sky.  Could almost forget that he was currently still awake, and earthbound, and leaning his head out the window of Ukyo's darkened guest bedroom.

                For awhile he just stood there, not really thinking about anything, relaxing and enjoying the peaceful moment.  It had been a very long day.  He chuckled a little, as that thought ran through his mind.  This day had to have set some kind of record for him.  He'd NEVER processed this much information in this short a time in his life.

                He and Ukyo had taken a break for the rest of the afternoon, then spent most of the evening talking again.  Ranma had been curious to know whether she'd done anything else to help him out that he didn't know about yet.  He'd even guessed that she was responsible for his quick recovery after his fight with Mousse, but Ukyo had denied this.  Her theory was that when Ranma called on all his chi, he must have burned most of the paralysis powder out of his system.  Ranma made a mental note to confirm it one of these days, with the aid of someone not actually out for his blood.

                As it turned out, her sabotage of Kuno's sword was the only other action she'd taken on his behalf that he hadn't already known anything about.  The dreams had been far and away her biggest point of intervention.  She'd used them in conjunction with her favorite ability, to drain away negative emotions that were building up too high in him; at the same time, though, she had forced him to face those emotions, and to take some hard looks at the circumstances of his life.  Ranma felt like he understood now, at least a little better, and though the memories of not being allowed to ask questions were still a little irksome, he could see Ukyo's point.  If he _had_ figured out too much too soon, it would have just made things more complicated.

                And they were already plenty complicated enough.  A shadow rested on Ranma's face for a moment, as he let his thoughts drift away from Ukyo and the refuge she'd offered him here.  There were still plenty of problems waiting for him in Nerima... and Ukyo had made it crystal clear that though she'd help him to the absolute best of her ability, her powers weren't anywhere near enough to solve said problems quickly and easily.

                He deliberately turned his thoughts away from those matters, focusing for now on the more detailed explanations Ukyo had given him regarding her abilities.  In dreams, she could do just about anything she wanted... but only if it involved some other aspect of her power (such as when she had extracted and eliminated his pain) or was intimately tied to the dream itself (such as his compulsion to not view her visitations as anything other than normal dreams) would it endure into the waking world.

                There was something of a way around that, though, Ukyo had told him... if she fashioned a dream whose environment matched the real world, the two would synchronize and overlap.  She could move through that (or carry someone through it) and still reach through it to reality.  That was what she had done on the night they had seen Mousse in the forest, and also on the earlier night when she'd saved that unknown girl.  It was fortunate in the extreme that Ukyo had chosen that particular time to experiment with that ability, had sensed the girl's fear and followed along to guard her.

                His oldest friend could observe and touch the world from that state, but not actually step into it.  For teleporting herself, she needed to be awake, and she could only step into somewhere with fairly deep shadow.  The quality of light where she was teleporting from didn't make a difference, though, unless she was taking someone along with her (such as their trip from the Tokyo Tower the previous night).

                She could also summon an aura of elemental Darkness that could be as solid or as ephemeral as she wished, though the strength and effectiveness of it would lessen quickly as surrounding light levels increased.  The shadowy screens she'd used to display scenes out of memory were an application of that, as of course was the familiar mask she'd worn in his dreams.

                When Ukyo had finished her explanation, Ranma was forced to agree with her... none of that sounded like it could directly solve all his problems.  At least, not in any way he or she would consider acceptable.  Sure, Ucchan _could send the other girls terrible nightmares of him turning out to be an awful husband, she __could torment them in their sleep until their collective nerve broke and everyone quit pulling so hard on him... but Ranma would endure a hundred days like yesterday rather than ask her to do something like that._

                Still, he mused, as he pulled back inside the room and shut the window, if he played his cards right they might be able to deal with Shampoo.  Ranma hadn't spent a lot of time thinking about a particular revelation that Kaede had made, but the fact that the Kiss of Death need not apply if the Amazon and her opponent agreed to this beforehand was burned indelibly into his mind.  It would take a good bit more planning, but maybe he could get Ucchan to challenge Shampoo with himself as the prize.  If the fight took place at night, Ukyo wouldn't have any trouble at all subduing the Amazon.  He knew better than to think Cologne wouldn't still want him to marry Shampoo, but if he could take Amazon law out of the equation and give Shampoo an honorable way out, it might take a lot of the pressure off.

                He didn't have any ideas yet about Kaori or Kaede, and thinking about Akane hurt too much.  But it was a start, quite a good start really.  Ranma allowed himself a small, guarded smile.

                The expression stayed, growing wider and more genuine as he stripped down to T-shirt and boxers and stretched out on his bedroll.  He was looking forward to this dream.  It might not be a REAL escape from the chaos of Nerima, but while it lasted Ranma intended to enjoy it to the max.

                As he sank down into slumber, Ranma's fading thoughts drifted back to Ucchan, and how she had seemed both surprised and pleased this evening, when he'd wanted the two of them to fly away in another dream.  His best friend had had plenty of her own pain this day; Ranma knew that, and wasn't proud of it.  But he was proud of the tender, happy smile she'd given when he made that request, and of how much better he'd obviously made her feel.

***************

                "Ranchan?"  No response.  She spoke a little louder.  "Hey, Ranchan, wake up!"  Ukyo frowned, and reached out to grab his shoulder.  Whatever subconscious defense mechanism allowed him to evade attacks in his sleep clearly didn't consider this a threat; Ukyo made contact and gave him a mild shaking, achieving exactly no result.  Ranma's breathing remained deep, even, and regular, showing no signs that his slumber was being disturbed in the slightest.

                Ukyo rolled her eyes, then pulled back and settled down into something vaguely resembling a meditative posture.  She closed her eyes, reaching out with her abilities to grasp at Ranma's slumbering soul.  It was rather harder than usual, since he wasn't currently dreaming.  The bright sunlight leaking through the window didn't help either.  Still, she managed it quickly enough.

                Ranma found himself standing on a flat gray surface, under a flat grey sky.  The utter uniformity was broken only by the sight of Ukyo before him.  "Hey, Ucchan, what's up with this?" he asked, puzzled.  The dream they'd shared the previous night had ended several hours earlier, but from Ranma's perspective this was nowhere near apparent.  To him, it was as if they had one moment been sitting atop a mountain in North America watching the last of the night slip away before the oncoming dawn, and then the next they were here.  Rather a drop in quality in his opinion.

                "Ranchan, it's already past seven back in the real world," Ukyo replied.  "And it's Monday morning, which means school."

                Ranma flinched.  "Y'know, I think maybe I'd better give that a miss for awhile.  Uh... that okay with you?"  Asking her permission like that felt awkward, grating rather harshly against his pride, but it seemed like a necessary evil.  Akane had never been happy when she thought he was slacking off, and neither had Kaori, for that matter... he sure couldn't afford to get Ucchan mad at him right now.

                "You don't have to ask my permission, silly," Ukyo said.  "Besides, I agree one hundred percent.  It's not a good idea for you to go back there just now."

                "Great.  Thanks."  He grinned, glad for the support and reprieve.  "What about you?  Are you gonna go?"

                "Well, that IS why I bothered to get back into your dreams right now," Ukyo said with amused exasperation.  "I tried to wake you up to tell you that I was about to leave, and THAT was a total bust."

                "Do you really have to go, Ucchan?" Ranma asked.

                "Unless you want people to start suspecting you might have come here, yeah, I think I'd better."

                "Crud.  Guess you're right.  Okay, I'll see you later on this afterno--wait!!"  Ukyo blinked, startled at the sudden urgency in Ranma's tone.  "What about breakfast?!"

                His oldest friend rolled her eyes mightily.  "I left you a big stack of okonomiyakis in the fridge, Ranma.  See you this afternoon, okay?"  She turned her attention away from him and toward the unraveling of the dream, then turned back as she remembered something else.  "Wait, there is one other thing.  I can't stay closed forever.  I'm gonna have to open up the restaurant again tomorrow.  Maybe even this evening."

                "I hear ya," he said quietly, his mood deflating.  He hadn't even considered that issue yet.  '_One of these days,_' Ranma thought grimly, '_I will manage to be something more than just a burden on her._'  Aloud, he said, "I'll make myself scarce while you're open or something."

                "Don't be silly, you jackass.  That's not what I want."

                He blinked.  "But... we don't want anybody to know I'm here... so...?"

                Ukyo gave him a wink.  "Don't worry.  I've got a clever plan."  She gave him just a second to look dubious and concerned at her choice of words, and then she dispersed the dream.  Ranma fell back into silent slumber, and Ukyo opened her eyes in the real world.

                She stared down at his slumbering form.  "You big dummy," she said softly.  "Like I was really trying to get rid of you for the day or something.  Ranchan, I don't think you understand _anything._

                "But that's okay... I'll help you... I didn't understand anything either, for the longest time..."  Ukyo blinked, finding that somehow, quite a bit of the distance separating her face from Ranma's seemed to have vanished.  HE hadn't moved; he was still sound asleep.  It would be so easy...

                Her last words echoed back through her mind, knowledge and memories closing around her again.  Deliberately, Ukyo turned away, a soft smile no longer framing her lips.  "I didn't think it would be this hard."

***************

                Akemi tensed.  Beside her, fellow employee Sakura blinked in surprise at the reaction.  "Something wrong, Akemi?" she muttered, following the other girl's line of sight.  As far as she could tell, her coworker was staring at the man who'd just walked into the bar.  Sakura gave him a quick visual once-over.  A bit taller than usual, with long black hair, a well-groomed mustache, lean build, a smooth, flowing gait that made her suspect he wasn't wearing that brown gi as a fashion statement... it was nobody she'd seen before, but then again, she'd only started working at this bar last week.  "Is that guy trouble?"

                A few more seconds passed, then Akemi relaxed.  "No, not him.  Decent enough guy, better than most you'll see in here, actually.  He comes here pretty regular with a friend.  But every now and then there'll be this little old geezer with them..."  Akemi broke off, giving a whole-body shudder of disgust.  "Thank the kami he's not here now."

                "That bad, huh?"

                "Worse."  Akemi changed the subject slightly, wanting only to forget about Happosai.  "I'm surprised to see Fu Manchu here come in all by himself, though.  And with that long face... wonder if something happened to his buddy."

                "Not if it's a stocky bald guy who also wears a gi to a bar," Sakura commented, referring to the man who'd just walked through the door and was now heading purposefully toward Soun's table.  "That who you're talking about?"

                "Bingo," Akemi said, brightening.  When they didn't have their nightmarish Master with them, the two were quite good customers... not grabby with the serving girls, not the kind who liked starting fights (and the one time a fight did start they had cleared it up incredibly quickly and with a minimum of damage), and prone to ordering truly impressive quantities of alcohol.  They didn't tip very well, of course, but one can't have everything.

                From the two men's expressions--glum on the taller, grim on the larger--it seemed unlikely that they suspected one of the prettiest serving girls in this establishment was looking their way and thinking favorable thoughts.  "It's good to see you again, Saotome," said the man in the brown gi, as his companion joined him at his table.

                "Same to you, Tendo."  Genma half-turned and caught the attention of a passing girl.  He and Soun placed their orders.  Nothing more was said between them until the first beers had arrived at their table and each had taken a long pull.  In Genma's case over half his drink disappeared in that first draught.  He wiped the foam from his mouth, then said, "It seems like it's been a long time."

                "It certainly does," Soun agreed.  He took another swallow, then said, "The house doesn't feel the same without you and Ranma around to liven things up."

                "It doesn't feel better, I hope," Genma said acerbically.  "Were the peace and quiet worth it?"  With another long series of gulps he drained his beer, and signaled for another one.

                "You certainly are a kidder, Saotome," Soun said morosely, his expression showing no amusement at the comment.  "Peace?  Not a bit of it.  Watching my little Akane walk around all choked up in anger and... and hurt..."  His eyes teared up.  In an attempt to divert his thoughts, Soun gulped down the last of his beer and asked, "What about Ranma?  How's the boy taking this?"

                The elder Saotome sighed.  "I don't know.  He hasn't caught up with me yet."

                "You mean you haven't seen him since Saturday?" Soun asked with a frown.

                "That's right."  Genma took a pull on his replacement drink.

                "Maybe you should try searching for him, instead of waiting for him to come to you."

                "I'm not waiting for him to come to me."

                Soun's brow wrinkled.  Usually things didn't stop making sense until several drinks farther along.  "What do you mean?"

                "Ranma can take care of himself," Genma replied.  "Under most circumstances.  I'm keeping my attention on the one threat he can't handle."

                It still wasn't making much sense.  The Tendo patriarch glanced down at his beer, wondering if the management had radically upped the alcohol level.  Since the price hadn't been jacked radically higher, he supposed not.  "I still don't understand, Saotome."

                "I've been keeping a close eye on the Cat Café.  Making sure Ranma doesn't get trapped in their clutches, right now... when he's vulnerable."

                Soun winced, hearing a note in the last three words that made him quite uncomfortable.  "So how goes it?  No sign of Ranma being dragged kicking and screaming into the depths, I take it?"

                "No."  The same note as before was still in Genma's tone, stronger than ever.  "No sign of him heading there of his own free will, either, since he has nowhere to go after his real home threw him and his father out."

                Soun looked down into his beer.  "I'm sorry, Saotome."  His voice barely cleared a whisper.  "You know I didn't want to do it."

                The bar was nothing like brightly lit.  Nevertheless, Genma's glasses managed to catch what light there was and gleam brightly enough to hide his eyes.  "Tendo, there needs to be a limit."  Soun didn't say anything, and after a minute Genma continued.  "I'll admit that Ranma still has things to learn about how to treat a wife.  Or even a fiancée.  But I'm not going to let my boy take all the blame this time.

                "What he did was right.  He kept Akane safe and sound, just like a good fiancé should.  He protected her, as was his duty as a martial artist and a man.  And what did he get for it?  What did we get for it, Soun?  Thrown out on the street!"

                "It's only for a little while!" Soun said desperately.  "Just until Akane calms down and sees reason!"

                "Are you so sure she wouldn't calm down faster and see reason better with Ranma there to help her?" Genma retorted.

                Soun shook his head.  "You haven't seen her.  My little girl tries to put on a good face, but it's just not true.  I can still _feel_ how bad she's feeling, even when she's not showing it... even when she's not breaking things, or, or crying on her bed..."  Soun desperately grabbed his latest refill and drained the whole of it in one long drink, only barely managing to keep from bursting into tears himself.

                Genma sighed, and picked up a new beer of his own.  "This wasn't what I wanted," he muttered into the glass.  And it wasn't.  Shampoo's challenge should have made things _better between Ranma and his fiancée!  Akane should have let Ranma train her!  If this meant so much to her, she ought to have been willing to put up with the harsh style of training that had done such good for his boy.  This whole mess should have brought the two closer together._

                Ranma had been willing, too, Genma thought darkly.  True, his son could have pushed harder, but Genma knew where the real blame lay this time.  While he might usually take Akane's side over Ranma's whenever the two had a dispute, that was largely to help Ranma get an idea of the kind of behavior he needed to learn before he got married.  Genma knew that his son wasn't always in the wrong.  Especially not now.  But that didn't change anything... definitely didn't change the fact that Genma was out on the street, wearing himself to the bone keeping a decent surveillance over the Amazons without letting them detect him in return.

                "Maybe it's time to start thinking about some changes," he said under his breath.

***************

                Ranma was relaxing on the rooftop when Ukyo returned from school.  The first notice he got of her arrival was the sound of the front door closing rather forcefully behind her.  He slipped back through the window into his room, and walked over and opened his door.  He was just in time to catch a glimpse of Ukyo's back as she stalked into her own room.  Ranma blinked a few times, then zipped downstairs at his best speed.

                A few minutes later, after she'd finished changing into more comfortable, casual clothing, Ukyo joined him in the main room of the restaurant.  Ranma was already seated on the long row of stools; Ukyo moved around behind the counter and headed toward the grill.  As she moved into place across from him, Ranma spoke up.**  "Ucchan?  What's wrong?"**

                "Huh?"  Ukyo appeared surprised at the question.  "What do you mean?"

                "Well..." Ranma paused, giving her an evaluating sort of look.  His oldest friend didn't look to be in nearly the mood he'd seemed to sense a few minutes ago.  "Just... you seemed kind of upset when you first came in.  Did I imagine it?"

                She snorted, turned on the grill, and began setting out the fixings for okonomiyaki.  "Nah, but it wasn't any big deal.  Just something on my way back from school that got me pretty hot under the collar, that's all."  Putting that matter aside for the moment, Ukyo said, "So how was your day, Ranma?"  A sheepish note entered her tone.  "I hope you didn't go too hungry.  Didn't dawn on me til after lunch that I'd only left enough okonomiyakis for your breakfast."

                Ranma made a dismissive gesture.  "Don't worry about it, Ucchan.  I cooked some more for myself.  Sure they weren't near as good as you'd've done, but I didn't starve.  Don't cook any now unless you wanted to eat 'em yourself."

                Ukyo blinked, then looked down at the grill, confirming that it was in the same spotless condition she'd left it this morning.  As if protesting the action, Ranma said, "Hey, what's the matter?  Don't you think I know enough to clean up after myself?"  He didn't see a need to tell her that said cleanup had been forgot... ahem, deferred until thirty minutes ago.  Or that he'd raced downstairs to give the grill a few dozen more wipes on seeing her original bad temper.

                "Just thinking you did a better job this time than when you tried keeping my place open for me during that business with the Crepe King," Ukyo replied with a smile.  She turned the grill off again and returned the okonomiyaki ingredients to their storage places.  "Thanks, sugar."

                "Yeah, well, that time wasn't all my fault.  Me and Akane..." Ranma's own answering smile weakened, faded, and died.  His tone was a lot quieter as he finished, "...we never really got the whole division of labor thing settled."

                An awkward moment of silence stretched between the two.  Ranma eventually broke it.  "So, anyway.  How'd school go?"

                Ukyo shrugged.  "Same old same old.  Boring as hell and twice as annoying."

                "Uh... did anybody... you know, say anything about me?"

                "Not too much.  A few people asked Akane where you were, and she said she didn't know."

                "That's it, huh.  Nobody bothered to ask any more than that?"  '_Nobody missed me any more than that?'_

                "Well, Ranma, it's not like you haven't missed plenty of days when you had challenge matches, or had training to do, or Genma needed you to take the fall for something he'd done..."  Ukyo shrugged.  "Don't suppose anybody will really start paying attention until you don't show up for a few more days.  And that's only if Nabiki doesn't put out some rumor to keep people thinking they know what's going on."

                That didn't exactly fill him with a sense of carefree relief, but it did make a certain amount of sense.  "Tell me once she does, okay?"

                "Sure thing, sugar."

                "Thanks."  Ranma hesitated, then asked, "So what happened to you on your way home?"

                "Oh, that."  Ukyo shook her head, though not as if refusing to answer Ranma's question.  It was rather a gesture of remembered disgust and disbelief.  "Nothing happened, exactly.  At least not to me.  It was just something I saw."

                "Which is...?" he prompted.

                "Your father and Soun Tendo, drunk as a couple of skunks, waltzing away from a bar."  Ukyo gritted her teeth.  "That fat panda bastard doesn't even worry about you, I guess.  Doesn't wonder at all where you are or how you're doing.  No, he'd rather get back with his good buddy Soun and drink the day away."

                "Huh.  Big surprise there.  Not."  Ranma didn't even feel like it was worth frowning over hearing that.  "You do anything to show him the error of his ways?"

                "Nope, Ranchan, not today.  If I had, I wouldn't've still been so ticked off when I got back here."  Ukyo glowered in silence for a moment.  "It's just too bad Soun was there and a fire hydrant wasn't.  I'd have dearly loved to splash him, call the zoo, and let them pick up Mr. Panda while he's too drunk to do anything about it."

                Despite himself, Ranma gave a snicker.  "You coulda just followed them until Pop and Mr. Tendo went their separate ways, and done it then."

                "Yeah, but I didn't want to keep you waiting, Ranchan."

                "If the only other choice is passing up an opportunity like that, go ahead.  Make me wait."

                Ukyo laughed herself.  "Okay, will do."  Then she sobered.  "But seriously, today I really shouldn't have.  Because seeing your father reminded me of something.  Something really important."

                "What's that?"

                "It was one thing in particular that spirit showed me.  Probably the single clearest thing I got from it, actually.  It came after I finished getting changed, which is probably why it was easier to understand what the thing was trying to communicate."

                "Makes sense," Ranma commented.  "What'd it say?  Something about what you were supposed to do next?"

                "Not really.  Well, kind of.  Okay, yes and no."  Ukyo smiled slightly at him.  "It showed me a vision of _you_, Ranchan."

                Ranma blinked, not exactly reassured by this.  "Uh... me?"

                "That's right.  Anyway, what I saw then was an image of you coming before it yourself, and getting your own helping of elemental power."

                "WHAT?!" Ranma exclaimed.  "Why would I wanna do that?!"

                "Cause the type you'd get is water," Ukyo replied.  "And it'd have this nice little side-effect of breaking your Jusenkyo curse."

                She halfway expected him to start racing around the restaurant looking for the scepter as soon as she finished the sentence.  Instead, Ranma just sat there.  It wasn't a case of being too stunned to react either... his brow was wrinkled, and the muscles of his neck and shoulders had tensed up.  He was giving the thought much more consideration than Ukyo had expected, and he didn't look anything like as pleased as she'd thought he would.  "What's wrong, Ranchan?  Aren't you even a little bit happy to hear that?" she eventually asked, a rather plaintive note in her voice.

                "I... I dunno."  Ranma swallowed.  "I mean, I want a cure to my curse.  More than... more than just about anything.  But... I'm not sure... this price sounds like it'd be too high."

                "Too high?" Ukyo asked blankly.  Then, as enlightenment broke forth, she said, "Ranchan, I said it would be _water.  Not darkness.  You wouldn't need to go through the nightmare I did."_

                "That's not it," he said quietly.  "I... I just don't think I'm ready to pay that kinda price.  Don't wanna give up my humanity just to get rid of this--"

                "EXCUSE ME?!"  In an instant Ukyo was in a combat-ready pose, battle spatula in one hand, the other grabbing a fistful of Ranma's shirt and hauling him toward her.  She glared at him more fiercely than she'd done since her arrival in Nerima.  "Would you care to EXPLAIN that little comment, Ranma?!"

                For his part, Ranma just stared helplessly at the vision of restrained fury before him.  "What'd I say?" he managed.

                "How the HELL can you even ask that?!" Ukyo demanded.  "You just said I wasn't even human anymore, you jackass!!"

                "Are you?"  Ranma did the only thing he could think of, which was blunder on forward.  "I mean, you fly, and teleport, and mess around with people's minds and dreams and souls... what else do you call it?!"

                Only because Ukyo was now deliberately draining away her own anger did she refrain from smacking him one.  Instead, she let Ranma go; as he pulled back she shot her free hand forward, poking her index finger rather forcefully into his chest.  "I call those ABILITIES, Ranma!!  How about you?!  What would you call somebody that can summon a tornado, or shoot energy beams from his hands?  Or shapechange into a girl?!"  He flinched rather badly at that last one, which allowed Ukyo's temper to finish dying down.  She fell silent.

                Ranma emulated her for quite a long time.  He sat there, thinking over what she'd said.  At last, none too sure that what he was doing was the right thing, but unable to keep quiet, he said, "Okay, that's a good point.  But still... Ucchan, are you sure?  How do you know?"

                "I just do," Ukyo said quietly, unhappily.  So much for an apology.  "I know it as clear as you know you're human.  I learned a lot of stuff that changed me, and I got given power.  But I'm still Ukyo Kuonji, a human being."  She stared sharply at him.  "If nothing else, there's the fact that this power won't pass on to my kids.  I know that too.  Don't remember any exact moment when the spirit told it to me, but it's right in there with all the rest of the stuff that got added to my instincts."  She took a deep breath.  "That convincing enough for you, Ranma?  I can still have children.  All this power doesn't mean jack as far as that goes."

                "Okay, okay," Ranma said sullenly.  It was clear that Ukyo thought he should feel guilty, and he couldn't see where he was anything like that much in the wrong.  So what if he HAD pushed it a little?  If Ukyo had been deceiving herself over this issue, wouldn't it have been better to point this out to her?  Wasn't that the kind of stuff she'd been beating him over the head about in his dreams?  "Geez, it was just a question.  You shoulda just started out with that kids thing."

                "No, it wasn't a question," Ukyo replied quietly.  "You didn't ask.  You _assumed that.  Didn't you?"_

                To that, he could find no good answer.  "Um... I...  Okay, I was wrong!  Sorry, already!  Why's it such a big deal, Ukyo?!"

                "Why's it such a big deal?  That you just assumed something about me--something like THAT--and didn't ask me what the truth was?"  Ukyo turned up the intensity of her gaze.  "How'd you feel whenever that happened to you, Ranma?  Did it bother you when Akane called you stupid, or a pervert, or a jerk?  Over and over and over again, just running with what she chose to believe, not letting you tell her what the truth really was?!"

                Ranma didn't answer at all for a while.  At last he muttered, "I'm starting to wonder whether she was right about some of it."

                THAT little statement did an excellent job of ending his status as the target of her unhappiness.  "Don't you say that," Ukyo said, performing a tight emotional one-eighty.  "Don't you dare.  You just haven't learned this stuff yet because of how you grew up.  On the road with Genma as your father, what else _could_ have happened?!  Ranma, you've made your mistakes, but considering what you've got going against you, you've done a great job.  You've just got some more catch-up work to do, that's all."

                Another long period of silence, though this one was rather less painful than the last.  "I hope you're right, Ukyo," he said at last.  "Sorry about this latest screw-up.  It's a good thing I've got somebody to help me with these things, huh?"

                "I hope so.  I can't promise that I'll get it perfect," Ukyo returned quietly.  "I shouldn't have blown up at you just now.  But I'll do the best I can."  She forced a smile.  "Be a good student and learn quick, okay?  I'm not always going to be around to help you."

***************

                '_Boring as hell and twice as annoying.'  The remark she'd made to Ranma two days ago bobbled up from the depths of Ukyo's unconsciousness.  If anything, she decided, that had been an understatement.  The hours spent at Furinkan had never exactly flown by (except during the occasional lapse into frantic Hawaiian-themed insanity when Principal Kuno pulled another scheme).  But now they seemed to crawl past at a pace that would leave snails yawning._

                The problem was, Ukyo had almost no reason to be here.  Not anymore.  She was still coming to terms with what had happened to her, the way she'd been changed, and what it would all mean, but she knew that any chance of having an ordinary life (which had admittedly been pretty small to begin with) had finally been shot to hell and gone.  She wasn't going to be living a life where she'd need the kind of education offered at Furinkan.  She didn't know yet just what shape her future would take after this, but that much--along with the fact that okonomiyaki was still a vital part of her--was certain.

                It was ironic, really.  There was only one real reason why she stayed here now, and that was Ranma.  Or rather, it was to serve as camouflage for Ranma.  If she had suddenly started skipping school immediately after he was kicked out of the Tendo household, Ukyo suspected there would be plenty of people who would put two and two together.  And that wouldn't do at all, for his sake.

                Still, it was hard.  She'd rather be there with him.  She'd rather spend this time talking to him, helping him adjust, easing out the pain and hurt she knew he still carried from the events of the weekend.  Every minute she spent shut up in Furinkan, every minute that she could have enjoyed with Ranma, every minute that ticked remorselessly past, slipping away forever, felt like a small nail being driven through her soul.

                When you know you won't be spending the rest of your life with the one you love, you want to take full advantage of what time you do have.

                Ukyo let out a long sigh, and tried to think of other things.  The school day and week were only halfway over.  It was lunchtime now, and she was sitting under a tree a fair distance removed from everyone else.  Suited her just fine, she thought.  Maybe in a couple of weeks, when it wouldn't look so suspicious, she could shake the dust of this place off her heels for good.  There was nothing and no-one here any longer that she'd miss at all.

                "Afternoon, Ukyo."

                The girl in question looked up, to find Nabiki Tendo staring coolly down at her.  '_What perfect timing,' she thought sourly.  "You want something?"_

                "I heard you closed your restaurant a couple of days ago.  I have to say, that's a shame."  She paused, evaluating Ukyo's reaction.  The girl was just looking at her.  Nabiki couldn't say she saw anything in Ukyo's eyes other than the same sort of irritated, unhappy tiredness that had been there these past two months.  Still, the coincidence seemed just a little too suspicious to her.  "Why did you close, exactly?"

                "Family business.  And I really don't see how it's any of yours, Nabiki.  You never ate at my place."

                Nabiki shrugged.  "I suppose I'm just curious.  After all, there are a lot of students here who will miss eating at Ucchan's."  She put just the barest hint of emphasis on the word, and took note of the fact that Ukyo didn't visibly react.  "I don't suppose you could tell me when, or if, you're going to be opening again?"

                Ukyo just gave her an odd look.  "Not as on top of the ball as usual, are we, Nabiki?" she asked, allowing a mocking note to enter her tone.  "I reopened yesterday.  Don't have any plans to close down again anytime soon, either."

                The middle Tendo blinked, which was as much reaction as she'd allow herself to show.  "You did?"

                "Yep."  Ukyo leaned back against the tree, deliberately looking off into the middle distance.  It was a pretty clear gesture of dismissal.

                Under other circumstances, Nabiki might have complied.  However, she had the distinct sensation that she'd come out second best in the encounter so far.  That was not acceptable.  There was no way in heaven or earth that she was going to lose a battle of wits with the likes of a member of the Saotome fiancée brigade.

                And then there was the question of why Ukyo should have made it into such a battle in the first place.  Without an answer to that question, Nabiki wasn't about to let go of her suspicions that Ukyo might know something about how Ranma seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth.

                Deliberately, she knelt down and seated herself across from Ukyo.  The chef turned her attention back to her guest, looking more annoyed than ever.  "What now?"

                "Just had a few more things I was wondering.  I thought I'd take the opportunity to ask you now," Nabiki returned, in a careless, of-course-it's-just-idle-curiosity tone of voice.

                "Like what?"

                "Like... why are you still here?"  A less experienced player might have switched to a piercing tone for this question and accompanied it with an intense scrutinizing look.  Nabiki, however, kept her voice light and unconcerned.  "After all, your whole reason for coming to Nerima in the first place was Ranma.  And now you've given up on him.  Right?  What's keeping you here, in the insanity capital of Japan?  Heck, I'd just like to know why you're still putting up with Furinkan."  It was Nabiki's turn to look away into the middle distance, though she kept Ukyo in her peripheral vision.  "I know if _I'd been Ranma's fiancée and I finally gave up on him, I'd make it a clean break.  I sure wouldn't want to stick around and keep on being reminded of what I'd never really had a chance at getting."_

                Silence followed Nabiki's final statement, one of those throbbing, pulsing silences like you get on a summer afternoon when dark clouds are boiling overhead, just before the storm breaks in fury.  Except this one was a bit more ominous.  Nabiki turned her attention back to Ukyo, and felt a sudden queasy worm of fear begin crawling through her gut.  There was anger in the other girl's eyes like she'd never seen before.  Silently berating herself for going too far, Nabiki got back to her feet, as nonchalantly as she could without sacrificing speed.  "Just something to think about, Ukyo," she said casually.  "There's really no reason for you to stay around here and put up with the kind of crap this place heaps on us, right?  Well, see you."  She turned, and began to walk quickly away.  Quickly, but not quickly enough.

                Ukyo shot to her feet, took two blazing steps forward, and clutched Nabiki's shoulder in a grip the other girl had no chance whatsoever of breaking.  She refrained from squeezing hard enough to hurt, though.  Nabiki thought she was so smart, did she?  Believed she could push people around and twist them however she liked for her own amusement and profit?  Well, as far as Ukyo was concerned it was time for some payback.  In a coin that would REALLY hurt the middle Tendo.

                All this had happened in roughly the blink of an eye.  Ukyo spun Nabiki around and gave her a particularly dark, grim stare.  "Contrary to what you seem to think, I am not stupid.  You've never had a lot of trouble pushing me around, cause you were always hitting me where I was weak.  Namely, Ranma.  Well, you know what, _upperclassman?  That's not true anymore.  I meant it when I broke my engagement to him."_

                "I don't remember saying you didn't, or asking whether it was true," Nabiki remarked coolly.  "Why exactly are you bringing this up?"

                "You are so full of it," Ukyo returned.  "Guess what, Nabiki.  You aren't the only one who can put two and two together.  I may not spend my time hanging around Ranma anymore or trying to make nice to him," a blatant lie that she spoke with no difficulty whatsoever, "but I still noticed that he hasn't been at school so far this week.  And that Akane's been in one of her moods the whole time.

                "And now you're here trying to pump me for information.  Geez, you must really think I'm stupid," Ukyo said disgustedly.  "You must really not have a high opinion of me at all, if you thought I wouldn't catch on to what you're trying to do.  Something's up with Ranma, and you want to find out if I know anything about it."

                "You're jumping to conclusions," Nabiki said, trying to keep her composure while at the same time attempting to formulate the best possible lie for explaining Ranma's continued absence.

                "Am I really," Ukyo said sarcastically.  "You know what?  I don't really give a damn, Nabiki.  Not about what's going on, anyway.  I just want to be left alone.  And since you'd rather come and try and drag me back into this again, and wouldn't leave me alone... since you figured it'd be fun to push on the most painful memories of my life..." she shrugged.  "This is where you get yours."

                Nabiki tensed.  In spinning her around, Ukyo had sacrificed some of the stability of her grasp.  As soon as the chef shifted her weight to throw the first punch, she would do her best to twist out of this hold and run for relative safety... huh?

                Ukyo hadn't tensed, hadn't attacked at all.  Instead, she'd turned her head to one side.  Locating her quarry, she lifted her voice and called out, "Yo!  Kaori!  Over here!!"

                Nabiki did her best to twist out of Ukyo's hold.  However, the chef was more than ready for that development, and simply increased the force she was using, maintaining her grip with ease.  

                Meanwhile, the Martial Arts Takeout girl in question was trotting over, an expression of guarded surprise on her face as she regarded the scene before her.  Some guy she vaguely recognized from her class had Nabiki Tendo in what looked like a rather unpleasant bind.  Kaori began mentally tensing herself for battle.  She might have little liking for the older girl, but there was no way she was going to let some boy molest her.  Then again, the boy had been the one to call to her, not Nabiki... and come to think of it, his voice hadn't sounded quite right... had it?

                As Kaori approached to within a few feet, Ukyo put an end to her confusion.  "Hey, Kaori.  We've never talked, but I bet you've heard of me.  I'm Ukyo Kuonji, the girl who used to be Ranma's fiancée."

                Kaori blinked a few times, and resisted the urge to ask why she was dressed in a boy's uniform.  "Why did you call me over here?"

                "Cause Miss Tendo has something she doesn't want to tell you.  Isn't that right, Nabiki?"  Ukyo gave Nabiki a flat smile, then turned back to Kaori.  "She as good as admitted to me there's something going on with Ranma.  I don't know what it is, and frankly I don't care."  Another blatant lie, or rather a pair of them.  Ukyo would feel mildly disturbed later at how easily they had come.  For now, though she had more important concerns.  "But I figure you do want to know, right?"

                "That's right," Kaori said, the remaining traces of confusion fading away from her expression.  She stared stonily at Nabiki.  "So just what IS happening with Ranma?"

                That was Ukyo's cue to let go.  The middle Tendo put one hand to her shoulder and began to rub it, turning to glare at Ukyo.  The chef just returned the glare, then began walking away.

                Over her shoulder she called back, "Oh, and Kaori.  Don't just believe whatever she tells you, even if it sounds good."  She snorted.  "Especially if it sounds good.  Go find Akane and ask her the same thing."

***************

                It was raining in Nerima.

                Not that this was all that uncommon, of course.  It was a bit unusual, though, that this time none of the various Jusenkyo-cursed individuals had been caught in it.  Ryoga was wandering through the wilds of greater Tokyo.  Shampoo was safe and sound in the Cat Café.  Genma wasn't nearly so comfortable, but he had arranged a dry nest on top of a building a few streets away from the Amazon stronghold.  And Ranma was standing in Ukyo's guest bedroom, looking out the window, gazing moodily at the rain.  It was nighttime, now, with full darkness having fallen a little while ago.  From his position he could make out the glow of a streetlight, and the flashing needles of water as they lanced into and then out of the light.

                It felt good, but strange, to be serving okonomiyaki in Ucchan's restaurant.  Strange to walk around and take orders and smile at the customers, and know that they couldn't see who he really was.  Ukyo had cloaked his whole body in an illusion, and introduced him as her cousin Takeshi.  It felt particularly strange when he happened to catch a glimpse of himself in a reflective surface... or rather, catch a glimpse of his altered appearance.  'Takeshi' stood about the same height as Ranma did, but his build was a bit heavier, his hair was died blonde and cut short, and his facial features were nothing like Ranma's own.  In addition to all this, his apparent age was in the early twenties.

                Those occasional moments of startlement were a bit annoying, as was the rasp in his throat occasioned by disguising his voice.  Ukyo couldn't do that for him, unfortunately; in fact, it was a strain for her just to maintain his full-body illusion for the hours her restaurant was open.  Something else that bothered him a little.  Not too much, though--strain or not, Ukyo had made it clear that she would much rather have him there to help out.

                On the whole, he was glad of that.  He had offered to get out of the way while Ucchan's was open to the public... but when Ukyo had reassured him that she hadn't been trying to ask him to do that, it had made him feel pretty good.  The Tendos might have thrown him out, but that didn't mean everybody was going to abandon him, or only want him around at times when it was convenient for them.

                Of course, that type of reassurance only went so far; Ranma might still have found it a little frustrating, staying cooped up in the restaurant all day... but for one simple fact.  Anytime he wanted, he and Ukyo could spend the night going wherever the fancy took them.  That freedom was more than enough to eliminate any restlessness he might otherwise have felt.  As far as he was concerned, Ranma was glad for the chance to work.  He wasn't earning a whole lot of money, but every little bit helped.  And his presence _was helping Ukyo do a better business.  He didn't know whether he was fully paying his own way, but at least he wasn't just freeloading off his best friend._

                The Saotome heir stood there and stared out into the rain, and considered how far he'd come.  It was still hard, this thinking things through, and considering the full ramifications his actions would have on others.  It wasn't the kind of thing that had figured prominently in his upbringing.  But he was learning.  Learning a lot of things he'd never fully appreciated before.  '_Better late than never,_' he thought with a mental snort.

                On that note, Ranma turned his thoughts to another question, one that had been lurking in the back of his mind for the past three days.  Namely, the choice Ukyo had laid before him, of receiving his own dose of elemental power.  Of finally losing his curse.  Of getting a bunch of new abilities handed over to him, all at once.  Of more irrevocable changes in his life.

                It felt a little strange, to be actually thinking this through.  After all, whenever a potential cure had come up in the past, he'd always grabbed at the chance, doing his best to shove aside all obstacles between himself and that shining, glorious, elusive prize.  And now he had what looked like the best chance of all, one that didn't HAVE difficulties to overcome before granting him his cure, and instead of rushing on ahead with it he was standing here trying to make up his mind?

                But like he'd told Ukyo already, the cost of this particular cure might be too high.

                Power didn't come without a price.  He wasn't sure just when he'd learned that, but somewhere along the road he'd been walking all his life, the knowledge had seeped into his bones.  Sure, like Ukyo had said, he could do things that ordinary people would call superhuman... but he'd paid for those abilities with blood, sweat, and tears.  That wasn't always fun, but it seemed a lot safer than this kind of power.  Something that came quickly and easily, where you didn't know what the price would be until you were paying it.

                It helped, knowing that he wouldn't really be giving up his humanity if he did take the plunge.  On the other hand, said knowledge only went so far in comforting him.  Still human or not, still himself or not, Ranma knew that something like this was bound to change him greatly.  As if hearing her story weren't enough, the time he spent with Ukyo had made that abundantly clear.

                She was calmer now, and quieter.  On the whole she seemed fairly happy to be with him, but Ranma, now that he was paying attention, was seeing more and more clearly that there was a sadness behind it... or perhaps intermingled with it.  Even when she was there with him, when they talked and he managed not to say the wrong thing, when she was smiling at him, she was still carrying pain from what had happened to her, from all the things she'd seen and experienced.

                Ranma wasn't a coward.  But the thought of opening himself up to something like that did scare him, a little.

                He stared out into the rain, allowing the direction of his thoughts to drift a bit.  It really wasn't fair, not at all.  As far as he could see, the only thing Ukyo had received for herself from her abilities was pain.  Did she have regrets? he wondered.  Would he regret it, if he made the choice to follow her?

                The Saotome heir frowned.  He felt like there was something important there, related to the whole idea of whether or not his oldest friend regretted her action.  Would Ukyo still go through with it again, if she could make the choice over?  Did she feel cheated, that she'd received these powers that only let her help others, and not herself?

                And with that, he had his answer.  Or at least, as much of it as mattered.

                Perhaps Ucchan did feel cheated.  Frankly, HE felt like she had been.  But whether or not she did, Ranma was suddenly sure she wouldn't give this up if she had the chance.  Wouldn't throw away the changes she had made for the better, just for comfort for herself.  Pain or no pain, she had to think this was for the best.  If she didn't, she wouldn't even have offered him the chance to take that road himself.

                Somehow, that made the whole idea seem a lot less scary, a lot more appealing.  Maybe he _should_ do this.  All he'd really be doing was following down a trail his best friend had already blazed.  Kinda like when they were kids, except it'd been the reverse then--Ranma himself had been the leader, and Ucchan had been the one running after him.  Heck, he thought in a sudden flash of not-too-enjoyable insight, that had lasted way beyond their childhood.  She'd been following him all this time... at least, up until two months ago...

                That realization seemed to make him uncomfortable, somehow.  Ranma decided it was probably a natural feeling of remorse at what Ukyo had gone through because of him, and pushed it away.  Ucchan had spent most of her life running after him, in one way or another... maybe it would be fitting if he followed her this one time.  Kinda even the score a little, or something.

                And she wouldn't be so much stronger than him anymore, either.  Not that Ranma was really concerned about that fact.  Nope, the little imp that had growled at the back of his mind when Akane ate the Super Soba and tossed him around like a rag doll, that nagging discontentment, that driving need to fix the situation... that was all in the past.  He wasn't about to resent the fact that Ukyo had skipped so far ahead of him in terms of sheer power.

                Or at least, under the circumstances he wasn't ready to admit to such resentment.  Not even to himself.

                Deciding that he'd had enough introspection for the moment, the Saotome heir deliberately forced his thoughts to stillness.  There was no need to make the decision tonight, after all.  No need to rush into more big changes just yet.  He stood there and stared out into the rain, not really noticing that for once the water didn't seem so threatening.

***************

                She moved slowly and steadily through the streets.  Her path did not take her through the market, which was just as well.  Many people there knew her by name, and they would certainly have stopped her, asking if everything was all right, feeling a terrible sense of wrongness at the sight of Kasumi Tendo without a smile.

                It felt wrong to Kasumi herself.  But that particular bit of wrongness was just one note out of an entire discordant symphony, so she didn't really pay it that much mind.

                The eldest Tendo daughter had a great deal of practice weathering disharmonious, even tumultuous events.  She'd usually managed to remain on the sidelines, but occasionally the drama and chaos that seemed to swirl around Ranma had swept her into its main stream.  As a general rule she had smiled throughout it all, keeping her calm.  The others might rush about in worry and furor, but Kasumi had seen these things happen over and over, and really they were quite simple.  A crisis would arise, and then it would recede.  If trouble came, Ranma and his friends would find a way either to ride it out or smash through it.  Ranma and Akane might quarrel, and say hurtful things... but whenever Akane was kidnapped, threatened, or endangered, her fiancé would always come through for her, and at the end of the day everything would be back to the way it was.

                It was beginning to dawn on her that repeated stress will eventually erode any rock.

                Today was Friday, nearly a week from the day when the Saotomes had taken leave of their home.  Kasumi knew her father still saw Genma, had seen him twice this week at least.  But of Ranma there had been no sign whatsoever.  He hadn't shown up at school.  He hadn't been glimpsed in his usual haunts.  Nabiki had, with some effort, confirmed that he wasn't with Kaede.  Her sister was also quite certain that he hadn't gone either to Ukyo or Kaori... which left one other likely alternative.  And so, at Nabiki's request, Kasumi was on her way to the Cat Café for a late afternoon meal.

                It was quite past the usual lunch hour; she shouldn't have any trouble at all finding Cologne without much to keep her busy.  Nabiki had suggested that that was probably the best way to handle things--engage the old woman in friendly conversation over the course of her meal, Shampoo too if she was there, and see if anything slipped loose regarding Ranma.  Or if she could detect any sign of his presence in the restaurant.

                Kasumi tried to focus on her task, tried to distract herself with thoughts of her exciting upcoming role of deception and intrigue.  But her mind balked, returning again and again to thoughts of Ranma, of how he must be feeling now, having been thrown out on his own, without even his father there to be with him.  Of the expression he'd worn, in that one final moment, before turning and walking away.  Of how he had been hurt, and how she had stood idly by and let it happen, not wanting this to come to pass, yet not fighting it.  As had Father.  As had Nabiki.

                In the back of her mind, a tiny flame was burning.  In a normal person, it would have been considered so small as to be insignificant.  In Kasumi, though, this could not be said to be true.  It was only the faintest wisp of feeling, but any measure of anger whatsoever in the eldest Tendo daughter was almost completely unheard of.  It had been many years, certainly, since Kasumi had felt such an emotion even this strongly.  Which was perhaps why it had taken her this long to recognize just what she was feeling.

                But she was angry, just a little.  Angry that Akane should have made such a decision as this for all of them, angry at how her little sister had carried the rest of the family along on the tide of her temper.  It wasn't right.  Hurt or not, Akane had behaved badly.  They had all behaved badly.

                Kasumi nodded firmly, newfound determination helping to put her in a better mood.  She would make it up to Ranma.  She wasn't sure how, exactly, or when she would get the chance.  But if she should find him at the Cat Café, she would immediately go to him and tell him to come home.  Akane would simply have to learn that her wishes weren't always going to come true.

                On that note, Kasumi looked up, finding herself on the threshold of the restaurant that was her destination.  Sure enough, as she glanced through the front windows, she saw that there were no other customers inside.  She nodded again, and walked decisively through the front door.

                "Good day, Miss Tendo."  Cologne's dry voice greeted her.  Someone else might have been a little disconcerted at the response, given the fact that the old woman was in the kitchen with no line of sight between herself and her newly-arrived guest.  However, Kasumi didn't notice, as she was too busy dealing with a sudden spasm of nerves.  Here she was, in the veritable lion's den, come to carry out the daring role of a spy, and she had absolutely no idea how to go about doing this.

                "We were just about to close," Cologne continued, bouncing to the window that connected the dining area to the kitchen so she could make eye-contact with her guest.  "Actually, I suppose you could say we are closed."  Which would explain why all the chairs had been pulled neatly up under the tables, and why there were no place settings visible.  "But never mind that.  Sit down, sit down.  I could do with a little friendly conversation."

                Kasumi seated herself as instructed, pulling back a chair from the table closest to Cologne's perch.  "Is Shampoo not here to keep you company, Grandmother?" she asked politely, proud of her sudden inspiration.  If Shampoo wasn't here, where was she?  Spending time with Ranma, perhaps?

                "She's around back, training," Cologne replied.

                "By herself?" Kasumi inquired.  "Wouldn't her training go better if she had someone to help her?"

                Cologne waved one hand airily.  "Only up to a point, child.  My great-granddaughter is far enough along that it would be an insult for me to constantly be looking over her shoulder."

                Kasumi didn't frown, but she did mentally sigh.  She couldn't tell if her real question had been deliberately deflected or not.

                While she was still considering what to say next, the Matriarch spoke again.  "Did you want something to eat, Miss Tendo?"

                "Yes, please," Kasumi said, thankful to have the immediate heat taken off her.  A second later she added, "If it's not too much trouble."

                "No trouble at all," Cologne said genially.  "What would you like?"

                She considered briefly, deciding on a dish that was one of her favorites yet not too difficult to prepare.  "I'd like an order of seven-flavor ramen.  If you don't mind."

                "Coming right up."  Cologne returned to the kitchen, and a few moments later various quick, efficient noises emanated forth from the room.  In what seemed a surprisingly short time the Matriarch was back at the dividing counter, extending her staff forward toward Kasumi.  The eldest Tendo daughter carefully took the tray that was balanced on the end of it, settled it down on the table before her, spread the napkin across her lap, and began to eat.

                Cologne waited until Kasumi had finished most of her ramen, contenting herself with the occasional moment of idle chitchat.  Then, when the girl was taking a large swallow of ramen broth, she remarked, "Ranma isn't here, by the way."

                It had been a little mean, the ancient Amazon later conceded privately, to provoke someone as sweet and innocent as Kasumi into doing such a tremendous spit-take.  But at her age she needed all the novelty and new experiences she could get.

                Kasumi coughed and choked, somehow managing to do so in a polite, understated way.  Once she could speak again, she said, "W- what do you mean, Grandmother?"

                "That IS why you're here, of course."  Cologne didn't even pretend that there might be some uncertainty about this.  "Ranma has disappeared, and you have come to see whether he might be found here."

                Feeling decidedly dejected at her utter failure as a mistress of intrigue, Kasumi nodded.

                "Was it your own idea, child?"  This was the part over which Cologne felt some uncertainty.  Had Genma finally lost patience with his own surveillance, and pushed the job onto Kasumi's shoulders?

                "No," the younger woman replied.  "Nabiki asked me to come."

                "Is that right," Cologne replied.  "Is she losing her touch?  Surely she didn't think I wouldn't see through this..."  The Matriarch held thoughtfully silent for some little while, then suddenly let loose a cackle.  "Perhaps she thought you would lull my suspicions and keep me occupied, so that some friend of hers a little more experienced in sneakery could slip in unnoticed and search the place."

***************

                "Stupid girl, what you think you do here?  Try to break in in broad daylight?!"  Shampoo gave Manami a good shaking.  The other girl's choice of entry points had been very poor indeed, as had been her luck--when she first arrived, she hadn't seen Shampoo at all.  The Chinese girl had been training some little distance down the alley, around a bend and out of sight.  However, as soon as Manami began working to open one of the rear windows, the Amazon's current kata had carried her back toward the restaurant and a clear view of the would-be intruder.  "Is very stupid idea to try to steal from Amazons!"

                Manami stared in mute terror at the lavender-haired girl, who was now holding her pinned against a wall with just one arm.  All Manami's strength expended at once hadn't even budged the Amazon's grip.  Her life wasn't flashing before her eyes, but she expected this process to begin at any moment.  '_Next time, Nabiki, do your own damn dirty work._'

***************

                "Oh my, I don't think Nabiki would do something like that," Kasumi replied.

                Cologne let out another cackle.  "You'd be surprised.  Excuse me, child, I need to attend to something.  I'll be right back."

                The Matriarch headed around to the rear of the restaurant, and earned Manami's undying gratitude by instructing Shampoo to let her go with a warning.  She returned to find Kasumi wiping up the last traces of her recent accident.  "Thank you, Miss Tendo.  I hope you weren't too startled at what I said."

                Kasumi was much too polite to comment on that statement.  "You said Ranma isn't here.  Do you know where he is?"

                "Not with any degree of accuracy, I'm afraid," Cologne admitted, not looking particularly troubled by this lack of knowledge.

                "What do you mean?"

                The Matriarch held silent for a few moments, before remarking slowly, "Why do you ask, exactly?"

                Kasumi blinked, unsure as to how to answer the question.  "Because I want to know where he is."

                "Again, why?"  Cologne let the question hang in the air for only an instant, before pressing forward.  "What would you say to him, if he _were here now?"  Her voice sharpened.  "Did you merely discover some laundry of his that had been overlooked, that you wish to give to him?"_

                "No," Kasumi replied quietly, not meeting the old woman's gaze.  "That's not it.  I would say I'm sorry for what we did last Saturday.  I would tell him it's all right to come back home."

                The Matriarch's voice sharpened further.  "And do you really expect me to go along with this plan?  As far as I'm concerned, child, leaving your house behind is the best thing that Son-in-law could have done."

                "That's... that's not right..." Kasumi protested.

                "Indeed?  Why not?" Cologne countered.  This once she spoke with no trace of her usual 'mostly harmless little old woman' mask, instead letting the full strength and authority of her position and her three hundred years shine through.  "Why should he not leave the place that has set burden after burden on top of him, and never praised him or thanked him for his efforts?  Why should he not abandon those who abandoned him?  Tell me, Kasumi Tendo, why on earth should I look with favor on any attempt by any of you at seeking Ranma out again?"

                Kasumi flinched at each question, trying not to think back to the things Kaori had said when she confronted Soun not very long ago.  For quite a long time, she could find no words.  At last, though, in a small voice she said, "Because Ranma needs to know that we're sorry.  That I'm sorry.  That I won't let this happen again."

                It was Cologne's turn to sit in silence, considering her response.  At last she said, "Nothing is going to be the same again, child.  Remember that, and hold to the last words you spoke to me."

                "I will," the young woman replied, quietly still, but more confidently now.

                "Then I will say that when he left your home, Ranma fled beyond the reaches of Nerima itself.  And I am all but certain he hasn't come back yet."  The restaurant was now open only for lunch, and would remain on that schedule until the additional help Cologne had requested should arrive from China.  This gave her plenty of free time in the evenings to get out and get some fresh air, while traveling a wide circuit through Nerima.  So far she had yet to sense Ranma's presence anywhere within reach of her considerable senses.

                "That far?" Kasumi whispered sadly.

                "Perhaps even farther.  However, we need to let him be, child," the Matriarch replied.  "I felt the turmoil in his spirit, even across the distance that separated us.  The choice to seek others out needs to be his, and his alone."  Cologne smiled.  "Unless the boy takes too long, of course.  But I think we'd best give him another week, at least."

***************

                '_I should have done this yesterday,' Kaede thought grumpily, eyeing her fellow pedestrians with a jaundiced eye.  It was Saturday afternoon and there were several students visible in the crowds, taking advantage of the freedom from school.  '__Ranma probably WON'T be there now.  I should have just gone over yesterday afternoon and waited for him to come back after school.  That way I know I would have caught him.'_

                Of course, it hadn't been until yesterday evening that she'd decided she needed to do this.  Kaede had tried calling Ranma several times this week, wanting to set plans for another get-together, but each time the phone had been picked up by someone else.  Twice it had been Nabiki's voice that answered, informing her that Ranma wasn't in at the moment and promising to inform him that she'd called.  Despite these promises no return call had yet come, at least not when Kaede or her father were there to catch it.

                She'd tried again two days ago, and this time Soun Tendo had been the one to pick up.  He'd given the same basic reply as Nabiki, but Kaede had seemed to hear something a little off in his tone.  At the time she'd just put it down to a natural distaste for talking to his daughter's competition.

                She still thought that was basically the case, but by now she also suspected the Tendos weren't leaving it at that.  Yesterday evening she'd tried one more time to get her fiancé on the phone.  It had been Akane who picked up this time; no sooner had Kaede asked politely to speak to Ranma than her ears were ringing from the crash of the Tendo telephone receiver back onto its base.

                Kaede was now nearly certain that despite what Nabiki had said, her calls HADN'T been relayed to Ranma.  A dirty trick, and one she had no intention of letting slide.  But for now, the most important thing to do was find and talk to her fiancé face-to-face, let him know that she'd like to spend some more time with him.

                As far as she was concerned, she'd already let this slide too long.  Further delays were nothing she particularly wanted.  However, when Ryoga Hibiki dropped out of the sky and slammed into the pavement half a pace in front of her, generating a shockwave that actually knocked her off her feet, delay became more or less unavoidable.

                The sheer surprise left Kaede more stunned than anything; it was several seconds before she could recover enough of her wits to roll back to her feet and assume a combat stance.  She then spent a few more seconds blinking, as the sight before her registered.  Ryoga's move had NOT been an attack; the boy was busily gathering up some things that had been jarred loose from his backpack in the fall, and as far as Kaede could tell he hadn't even noticed her yet.  Disbelievingly, Kaede's eyes tracked upward, following the path she thought Ryoga's descent must have taken, and came to rest on an open window.

                She shook her head, turning her attention back to Ryoga.  On the one hand, she didn't want to waste more time before seeing Ranma.  On the other, this jerk HAD nearly squashed her... what to do, what to do...

                The issue resolved itself as Ryoga closed his backpack again, got to his feet, turned to wander off in a random direction, and saw Kaede.  "You!" he said angrily.

                THAT reaction, coming from the idiot who'd come within a hairsbreadth of flattening her, decided things.  After all, it was highly possible that she'd have to wait for Ranma at the Tendo house until evening anyway.  She could spare the time for this.  "Yeah, Hibiki, it's me.  Now apologize!"

                "Apologize for what?!" Ryoga demanded.

                "Gee, I don't know.  Being too stupid to live?  Making me stare at that ugly face of yours?"  Kaede glared at Ryoga, matching the ferocity of his expression.  "How about almost crushing me, you moron!!"

                "That is NOT my fault!" he protested.  "Blame the idiot who built a fire escape door and didn't put a fire escape outside it."

                Kaede rolled her eyes.  "Whatever.  Then just apologize for being too stupid to live."

                Ryoga growled, only just fighting off the temptation to give this girl some payback.  "I don't have time for this.  I've got to find Akane."  He cursed the fates that had given him such a poor sense of direction.  His own suffering was bad enough, but how could they take him away from Akane in her time of need?!  It just wasn't fair!

                "And you can't even spare the seconds it would take to blab a few insincere words of apology?"  Kaede pulled out her tonfa and began to idly spin it around in her grip.  "I think I'm going to insist, Hibiki."

                Ryoga was about to make a disgusted sort of noise, turn, and walk away... when something occurred to him.  "Fine," he returned.  As much as he hated to admit it, doing it this way probably WOULD get him to Akane faster.  He'd give this girl the fight she wanted, and after he'd won he'd make her lead him to the Tendo household.  "Just a minute."  He set his backpack and umbrella down against a nearby wall, then removed seven bandanas from his forehead and tied them around his neck, not particularly wanting this girl to get another cheap victory.  Once finished with this, he assumed a ready stance, then realized there was one other element missing.  "Oh, one more thing.  What was your name, anyway?"

                "Kaede.  Kaede Hayashibara.  And I don't care HOW many bandanas you're wearing, Hibiki... I'm still gonna kick your butt."

                "Hah.  Like you could even kick hard enough for me to feel it."  With the obligatory pre-fight posturing out of the way, Ryoga charged.

                He didn't even see the tonfa strike coming.  Kaede sidestepped and whipped her hand around in a blindingly fast blow, impacting on his forehead and snapping his head backward.  She had returned to speed training after her frustrating last battle with Shampoo, and was now able to pull a bag and a half of chestnuts from the fire without burning herself.  She was waiting until she could do two bags before challenging Shampoo again, but her current speed should be more than enough for this fight.

                Fortunately or unfortunately, Ryoga had already been concentrating on ignoring any blows from his opponent.  He hadn't expected this one, but it still didn't hurt nearly as much as it could have.  He recovered his equilibrium quickly, and moved to attack again.

                Of course, this time Kaede wasn't surprised by his durability.  She was already launching her own follow-up attack, spinning her hands to draw Ryoga's attention and make him think the blow would come from them, then in the next instant dropping low and sweeping his legs out from under him.

                As he fell, Ryoga made a grab for her ankle.  His fingers brushed it, but he couldn't get a grip.  Kaede jumped backward to safety, choking back a few choice obscenities.  The Amaguriken training hadn't done much for her leg speed, a fact that had almost cost her dearly.  Let this guy get a good hold on her, and the fight was as good as lost unless she resorted to sticking her sai in him.  Not something she had any intention of doing unless it looked like he seriously meant to critically injure her.

                Ryoga was now back on his feet, backing away quickly while removing several more bandanas from his forehead.  Kaede opted not to press the attack just yet.  She just stood there, making an insulting 'come on' gesture with her free hand.  Ryoga launched the missiles with a wild yell; Kaede dodged to one side and struck them out of the air with her tonfa.  This allowed her to gauge the force behind the attack, and realize that it wouldn't have been too terribly damaging even if the bandanas had connected.  Which frankly came as something of a relief.

                For her opponent, of course, the exchange hadn't been a relief or anything like it.  Ryoga considered throwing a few more, a good bit harder than before.  If she tried the same trick again, she might lose her grip on the tonfa entirely.  On the other hand, this might not be a good thing--if she was still carrying that damn blade she'd had in their last battle, this could force her to pull it out again.  And if she didn't try and knock the projectiles out of the air, there was a good chance the greater force would carry them to hit and harm one of the onlookers standing back and watching the fight.  Ryoga might sometimes forget about such concerns in the heat of battle with Ranma, but here and now he wasn't quite that far gone.

                "What're you waiting for, Hibiki?  I'm not gonna fall asleep and just GIVE you the victory, you know," Kaede called insultingly.  She blinked in surprise as Ryoga suddenly grinned, and moved forward to attack again.

                "You sure about that?" he taunted back, striking with a powerful blow that Kaede knew better than to try to block.  She dodged it instead, giving ground; Ryoga pressed the attack.  "I think it could happen.  I think maybe--just maybe--I COULD outlast you."  Another series of punches that Kaede had to dodge.  "Maybe I COULD get a really easy win that way.  What do you think, Kaede?"

                "That you're full of it!" the girl in question snarled, seizing the opportunity afforded by a gap in Ryoga's defenses.  She darted forward, pivoted and launched absolutely the most powerful kick she could manage.  It would have torn a hole in a car door.  Against Ryoga, well, at least he actually felt it.

                The strike knocked him backward, right off his feet.  He was upright again in an instant, though, growling in wordless fury, disdaining to show that he'd felt any pain from the blow.  To Kaede, who knew she'd be lucky to pull off one more power strike like that without cutting her own mobility, it was a most  unwelcome sight indeed.

                She played a defensive game for the next few minutes, retreating, deflecting his strikes the few times it was safe to do so, dodging the others.  At the end of this time, Kaede could feel her energy reserves beginning to wane, just a little.  She was nowhere near out of fighting strength, and her performance hadn't suffered yet... but if this should continue much longer, she would start to slow down.  And that would be bad.

                Ryoga, meanwhile, was nowhere near running out of stamina.  Patience, on the other hand...  "Will you quit running away!  Stand and face me like a man!!" he shouted.

                "How'm I supposed to do that, exactly?" Kaede retorted sarcastically.  But she did halt in her retreat, pushing forward again, leading with her tonfa as if to strike him right between the eyes.

                Ryoga just blocked the strike, letting it bounce harmlessly off his arm.  He didn't even see the follow-up attack coming.

                Kaede struck with all the speed and precision she could manage, pulling out her sai and spinning it, slicing through the cloth of Ryoga's shirt, leaving a nice big wide-open gap around his elbow.  In the next instant she continued the spin of the weapon, bringing it around and driving one of the blunt blade-guard prongs directly into a certain spot.  One that had up until now been guarded by his long-sleeved garment.

                Ryoga stumbled and nearly fell, shocked beyond words at the sudden loss of motor control in his arm, and at the incredibly annoying pins-and-needles sensation.  He staggered backward, using his remaining hand to try and massage some life back into his disabled arm.  "What the hell did you do?!"

                His opponent snorted.  "I'm not some lame old one-trick pony, you know.  There's other shiatsu points beside the one on the neck."  She smiled mockingly at his awkward attempts to restore functionality to his arm.  It was pretty clear that her opponent wasn't ambidextrous.  "Don't bother, Hibiki.  It takes at LEAST an hour to wear off."

                "Grrr.  Just try that again!!" Ryoga hollered.

                "You know what?  I think I will."  Kaede charged again.

                As soon as she moved, Ryoga reacted, dropping to one knee, trusting in Kaede's momentum to bring her within range.  His remaining hand shot outward and downward, index finger outstretched.  "BAKKUSAI TENKETSU!"

                The explosion didn't even phase Ryoga; Kaede fared somewhat less well.  She was nearly at ground zero when Ryoga executed the move, as close as he was himself.  The blast took her right off her feet, sending her crashing to the ground.  She barely managed at the last second to control her fall, rolling to one side, coming back to her knees, then rising shakily to stand.  She coughed, trying to clear from her lungs the dust she'd inhaled in the explosion.  The coughs sent pain shooting through her chest... no big surprise, considering the force with which some of those flying bits of pavement had struck her.  Blood was running down one arm from a cut on her forearm, threatening to compromise her grip on her tonfa.  All in all, Kaede was NOT happy with the result of that exchange.

                "No, really.  Try again," Ryoga invited.

                "You son of a bitch," she growled hatefully.  "That's your idea of an appropriate attack?  Fine, Hibiki.  I'll play just as dirty as you."  And with that, she charged again, ignoring the lingering pain, ignoring too any notions of conserving her strength, racing forward at the greatest speed she could manage.

                Of the crowd of onlookers watching this fight, only a few students from Furinkan (veteran spectators of a thousand challenge matches) managed to catch all the details of what happened next.  Kaede blazed forward, coming in on Ryoga's disabled side.  He, meanwhile, was already striking downward for another Breaking Point attack.  His finger was still a few inches from the ground, though, when Kaede passed beside him.  There was an arcing flash of silver, sunlight glinting against metal... and then Kaede was behind him, twisting and skipping into the air, her feet bracing against Ryoga's back even as he unleashed the Bakkusai Tenketsu... she pushed off, flipping away to safety while forcing Ryoga down even closer than usual to the blast of his attack.  Surprise from this caused his eyes to bug open involuntarily, and it was only his good luck that he didn't get more than dust in them.

                Kaede let him recover, watching with a fair amount of satisfaction as he coughed and choked and wiped the streaming tears from his eyes.  "That's check, Hibiki," she said once he'd recovered enough to pay attention.  "You wanna concede now, or do I really have to go for checkmate?"

                "What're you talking ab--" Ryoga's sentence cut off abruptly, as he noticed something lying on the ground before him.  Specifically, the bandanas he'd tied to guard his neck at the beginning of the fight.  The knots were still in place, but the cloth itself had been cleanly sliced through.  By Kaede's sai, he had no doubt.

                "That's right," she retorted, seeing that the gravity of the situation was now clear to him.  "You can't stop me, not with your arm out of commission.  Just go ahead and yield, and give me the damned apology already.  Unless you WANT me to put you down for the count."

                '_Not again... I can't believe I'm going to lose again like this...'  Ryoga didn't even try and fight the despair.  He'd intended to save this for Ranma, but desperate times called for desperate measures.  Hopefully after this he'd still be able to find Ranma before Kaede did, and thrash him before his rude, arrogant, lucky jerk of a fiancée spoiled Ryoga's upcoming surprise.  He concentrated, embracing the all-too-familiar emotions of sorrow and despair..._

                Kaede allowed herself one split second to look disgusted.  She could feel her opponent charging up for another one of those disgusting depression-based chi attacks.  So he wanted to end it the same way the last fight had ended, huh?  Very well, she would oblige.  Kaede dashed forward, ready for this dance to end.

                As Ryoga had expected, she chose to approach on the side of his disabled arm.  He didn't try to resist, just knelt there and let her race in for the kill.

***************

                The last stragglers of the lunch crowd had departed not long back.  Ucchan's Okonomiyaki was now closed for the afternoon.  Ucchan herself had departed on a trip to the market, to restock on some supplies.  Ranma remained behind, cleaning up after the departed crowd.  Of course, this was Ranma Saotome after all, and the methods he was using for this tended toward the unorthodox.  Specifically, he was practicing towards mastery of Kaori's technique, extending his chi as best he could into his mop, then sending it flying across the floor.  It hadn't been too hard to duplicate Ryoga's old 'throw the umbrella so it circles back to me' trick, and he was now working on making the mop traverse a figure eight.

                Shortly before he would have achieved success in this endeavor, though, Ranma was distracted.  A loud *thump* came from upstairs, causing his head to jerk around and his eyes to stare up as if his vision could pierce the ceiling.  That had sounded like it came from Ukyo's room...

                Just for a second, his throat went dry.  Was this one of the fiancée brigade, sneaking in here to check for signs of his presence?  The residual shadows Ukyo had woven through the walls of her restaurant only protected him from long-range detection, such as Cologne, Happosai, or possibly Genma might try.  With his best friend gone, there was nothing standing between him and discovery, should someone get close enough to make visual contact.

                Ranma focused tightly on his sense of hearing, trying to determine if there was really somebody up there.  Maybe he'd get lucky, and it would just have been Ukyo's spare combat spatula falling over or something.  He listened, listened closely.  He could make out no obvious sounds of movement, but there seemed to be something... something just below the edge of hearing at his current distance.  Ranma frowned grimly, and began creeping silently toward the stairs.  If it WAS another person, he'd better get his stuff packed up and make his temporary escape while they were still trying to pretend they weren't there.

                By the time his foot was on the first stair, Ranma was certain the sound wasn't in his imagination.  By the fifth one, he could hear clearly enough to identify it and begin moving less cautiously and more quickly.  On the eighth, at which point he broke into a run, it was obvious that this was no intruder.  It was Ukyo, sobbing as if her heart were about to break.

                He shot through her door, finding her curled up in the middle of the floor, crying her eyes out, shaking with the force of her misery.  And there for a moment Ranma stopped, feeling the coldest sense of helplessness that he could EVER remember experiencing.  His best friend was suffering.  He had no idea why.  He had no idea at all what to do about it.

                When he moved, it was more the result of long-ingrained training than any real conscious decision.  In a crisis, any action at all was better than inaction.  Even if you have no idea what to do, do something anyway.  Genma might never have put it into words like that, but the lesson had been given and received.  Ranma knew he had to do SOMETHING, and here and now running away wasn't an option; instead, trembling and hesitant and damning himself for not having any real idea of how to handle this, he slowly edged forward, bent down on one knee, and put a hand on Ukyo's shoulder.  "Umm.... Ucchan?"

                It actually wouldn't have surprised him if she had jerked away.  After all, the last two times he'd seen her in tears, it had been directly because of him... there was a dark nagging worry at the back of his mind that this episode might well be his fault too, somehow.  But Ukyo didn't pull back from the contact.

                Nor did she respond by grabbing onto him desperately and holding on for dear life, which would have been Ranma's second guess.  She barely reacted at all, in fact; she seemed to be leaning slightly into his touch, but Ranma wasn't even sure whether that was real or his imagination.

                He eased himself the rest of the way onto the floor and shifted closer, feeling more helpless than ever.  "Hey... c- c'mon, Ucchan... don't do this..."  Hesitantly, he put his free hand on her other shoulder.  And now it was clear, she knew he was there.  A shudder passed through her body, and just for a moment, there was a break in Ukyo's sobbing.  She looked up, meeting Ranma's gaze for an agonized eternal instant.  The sight of her tear-stained face, misery writ plain across it, brought tears into his own eyes.  It was an image he would never, ever forget.

                And then Ukyo's control broke again, and she leaned forward into his chest, wailing and sobbing in the throes of fresh grief.  Her arms went around his chest, but loosely, almost as if she were afraid to touch him too tightly.  Ranma's own arms came around and down, his hands meeting behind her back.  He held her there, letting her cry herself out, for a very long time.  He held her, silently hoping for her to recover, wishing he could have prevented this, wishing he knew something better to do than just sit here and let her cry.  A real man, whispered a voice sounding rather like Genma's, would know how to handle this situation... but Ranma himself had not a clue.  And so he just sat there, trying to offer her what pitiful comfort his silent presence could, her misery and his helplessness forming twin burdens that ensured Ukyo wouldn't be the only one suffering here.

***************

                Needless to say, Ucchan's did not open for business that evening.  She did eventually cry herself out; by the time she did, she was exhausted.  Ranma's shirt was ruined, too, but that was the least of his worries.

                He helped her get cleaned up, and then settled her onto her futon.  Even as little action as that came as a relief; at least he could do SOMETHING.  Even if Ukyo herself had had to indicate that she wanted these things.  She was stretched out now along the bedroll, still wearing the okonomiyaki outfit she'd had on all day.  Thanks to Ranma, it was much less tearstained than it might have been.

                He knelt by her side, wanting to know what had brought this on, but afraid to ask.  He'd had a lot of time to think about this, while she was bawling into his chest, and it had eventually occurred to him that it might be better to let her tell him whatever the details were in her own time.  If he brought it up before she was ready, who knew what would happen... he might even set her off on another storm of crying.  And at this point, Ranma would rather go ten rounds with the Ghost Cat than risk that again.  Better just to wait until she felt ready to tell him herself.

                "So, Ranchan."  Ukyo gave him the weary ghost of a smile.  "Guess you'd like to know what this was all about, huh?"

                "Yeah," he replied.  "What happened, Ucchan?"

                There was a long moment of silence, as Ukyo marshaled her thoughts, and steeled her soul to face the memory.  "I was nearly to the market," she said at last.  Ranma had to strain to hear her.  "And then I heard the sounds of a fight.  Almost didn't stop... but then I figured I'd better pay some attention, in case it was something going down that we needed to know about.

                "I headed toward it.  There was a crowd of people, gathered around, watching.  I pushed through until I could see.  It was..." she shuddered, "it was Ryoga.  Fighting Kaede.  She had him on the ropes, too.  He was down on his knees, one arm hanging loose.  He was charging up for a Shi Shi Hokodan, I thought... thought that's what I felt.  The darkness of the stuff that damn attack uses.  The depression and the despair, I could feel it building up.  Thought he was gonna try and shoot that off at Kaede.

                "Must've been what she thought too.  She ran forward on his bad side, like she was gonna dodge around and get behind him."  Ukyo found the spirit to give a slight huffy sniff at the memory.  "Fine for her, not so great for everyone else.  I didn't think letting him fire off a shot into the crowd was such a hot idea, so I ran over to where I could stop it.  That kinda power wouldn't hurt ME any.  But... but Ryoga..." she gulped, "he'd changed the move.  He didn't shoot it off.  Instead he, he charged his aura... and when she got too close, all that crap... all that hopelessness and despair and killing chi... discharged into her at once.  He shoved it all straight into her spirit."

                "What happened?" Ranma asked, hoping it wouldn't be as bad as it had sounded.

                Ukyo stared back at him with a haunted gaze.  "The shock stopped her heart, Ranma."

                He nearly felt his own stop.  Certainly it seemed to skip a beat or two.  "Kaede... she's... she's dead?!"

                His oldest friend shook her head.  "No.  It was close.  So close.  But I was able to drain all that darkness out of her, just like I told you how I could.  After that... there wasn't really any physical damage done.  It was an attack directly against her spirit.  CPR got her heart going again, and then she was okay."

                "Thank the kami," Ranma breathed.  After a few more moments, something occurred to him.  "Wait a minute... if you saved her, then what were you so sad about?"

                For a long moment, Ukyo didn't answer.  At last she said, "My power let me get a good idea of just how hard this had hit her, even before I got over to her and didn't get a pulse.  But that JACKASS Ryoga... he didn't have a clue how powerful his attack was..."  Ukyo broke off then, gulped, and amended, "At least, I really hope he didn't.  Because he was holding her up with his good hand and gloating about his stupid comeback win."

                "Geez, typical stupid pig-boy.  You shoulda spatula'd him into the next time zone, Ucchan," Ranma said disgustedly.

                "I did something a lot worse than that, Ranma," she replied hollowly.  "He'd just really hurt someone.  Someone only I could help.  And he was in the way, and I _couldn't help her with him standing there gloating his goddamn head off and telling a CORPSE that she shouldn't have pushed him like that.  So I got him out of the way."_

                That hadn't sounded good.  "What'd you do?" Ranma asked, in a tone not far removed from a whisper.

                "There's one thing I can do that I didn't tell you about, Ranchan."  Ukyo's response came with no greater strength.  "I tried not to think about it myself, tried to ignore it.  At the very beginning I made myself a promise that I'd never use that power, and after that I just pretended it didn't exist.  That's why I didn't tell you anything about that one last ability.

                "What I did..." she looked up, met his gaze.  There were tears in her eyes again.  "It's the flipside of the power I like best.  K- Kinda ironic, huh, Ranchan?  I can draw that crap out of people... or I can do just what Ryoga did, and pour it in.

                "That's what I did to him.  He was in the way.  There was no time to think.  So I gave him a nice b- big heaping shitload of fear.  He dropped Kaede and ran away as fast as he could.  I did w- what I told you, hauled her back outta the grave, told somebody to get her to a clinic just to be safe.  I left, got out of sight, teleported back here.  You know the rest."

                Ranma had gone quite a long time without saying anything stupid.  His next comment was probably inevitable.  "Uh, yeah, I guess... but I sure don't see why you were cryin' like that."

                Tired though she was, Ukyo could still manage bitter self-disgusted sarcasm.  "Oh, no, I only broke one of the strongest promises I had left.  Didn't hesitate a minute.  Didn't stop to think that all I had to do was splash him, and then the idiot wouldn't've been any trouble at all."  She closed her eyes, as if unwilling to face the matter any longer.  "Didn't even care what I was doing to him."

                "Huh?  I don't get it..."  Ranma was still groping around, trying to find enlightenment.  A broken promise... sure that was worth a lot of pain, but not the absolute agony Ucchan had been suffering this afternoon.  "I still don't get why you're so bummed out about this.  It ain't like you _really_ did to him what he did to Kaede."

                "Didn't I?" Ukyo replied, opening her eyes again to gaze at him with a lifeless, hopeless expression.

                "Well, yeah!" Ranma protested.  "I mean, P-chan would've KILLED Kaede if you hadn't'a been there.  All YOU did was make him run away."

                "You don't get it, Ranma," she replied quietly.  "Yeah, of course the immediate result wasn't the same.  Ryoga used despair on Kaede, I hit him with fear.  Doesn't mean my attack hurt him less."

                "If it didn't kill him outright, I don't see how--"

                "WILL YOU JUST TAKE MY DAMN WORD FOR--"  With a gulp, Ukyo cut herself off.  This was going directly against the last promise she had remaining.  She wasn't going to treat Ranma like she'd seen him being treated.  "I'm sorry, Ranma.  I'm just... this really hurts."

                "It's okay, Ucchan," he said quietly.  "I didn't... I'm just trying to help you feel better."

                "Thanks for the thought," she replied.  "But there's no point in closing my eyes to stuff I don't wanna see.

                "So I'll go ahead and spell it out.  Yeah, Ryoga ran off.  Maybe he just kept running until the fear wore off.  Or maybe it crushed his mind completely.  He could be huddled in a ditch somewhere, with nothing left for him but mindless terror."  Ukyo let out a long, trembling sigh.  "Heck, he could already BE dead, if he ran into some cold water.  I just don't know."

                "Damn," Ranma muttered.  "Could... could you look for him?  Like when you found Mousse?"

                "I'll try, Ranma," she replied wearily.  "I'm going to try.  But it's not like I've got any kind of special find-the-person powers.  Only reason I noticed Mousse was cause he was all off by his lonesome, putting out so much hatred and jealousy.  Kinda made him stand out from all the trees, y'know.  But if he'd been in the city, I'd've had to come really, really close to pick him out of the background.  Same thing for Ryoga... _if he's in Nerima at all, looking for him is gonna be like trying to find a piece of straw in a haystack._

                "And we both know that's a pretty big 'if' anyway.  God only knows where Ryoga's gotten himself to by now.  I hope he's okay.  But I don't know, and I'm probably not going to find out before it's too late to do anything about it."

***************

                He stared out his window, into the silent predawn darkness.  Sleep hadn't come, which perhaps wasn't all that surprising.  And so he stood and stared out beyond the restaurant.  Wondering where Ukyo's consciousness was right now.  Was she roaming through Nerima?  Had she gone farther afield?  Would she have any luck finding Ryoga?  Was his rival okay?

                Would Ucchan be okay?

                Thinking about Ryoga was painful, but at the same time it wasn't the worst of his concerns right now.  Maybe P-chan was dead.  Maybe he'd lost his mind.  Ranma hoped not, hoped like anything that Ryoga had eventually thrown off Ukyo's desperate strike with no real harm done (except to the walls the lost boy had undoubtedly plowed through in his panic-driven flight to escape).  But the pigtailed martial artist remembered back to the vivid word-picture Ukyo had painted, of Ryoga holding up Kaede's dying body and GLOATING about his victory... and he was certain that, no matter how things turned out, Ukyo hadn't gone too far in doing what she did.

                The events of the afternoon had made it pretty clear that his oldest friend didn't see it that way, though.  And Ranma was now doing his best not to think about what would happen if she DID find Ryoga, and it turned out her worst fears were true.

                Of course, specifically trying not to think of something makes it all but impossible to completely free your mind of such considerations.  They continued to skitter around the edges of Ranma's consciousness, nibbling and gnawing away at what little calmness he'd managed to fake.  Glimpses kept popping up in his mind's eye, images of Ukyo in even greater misery than she had been this afternoon, her face frozen in shock, horror, and ultimate despair as she stumbled over P-chan's squashed corpse.  He was scared of what would follow if that happened.

                And he was ANGRY.  Had there been no other reason at all to care, Ranma would still have fervently hoped Ryoga was alive and well, so he could have the pleasure of kicking his butt from here to China and back.  He had nearly killed Kaede.  He might've broken Ukyo's heart the rest of the way.  Ranma was sure his rival didn't mean any of this to happen... but that didn't mean he wasn't going to exact payment in bleeding strips of Ryoga's hide anyway.  Or at least thrash the living crud out of him until Bacon Breath would've RATHER gone with the bleeding-hide-strips option.

                Thoughts of dire vengeance against Ryoga had kept his mind distracted for a while, but they could only hold his attention for so long.  Ranma wasn't really the sort to hold grudges, after all, and before too long the cold, fearful thoughts of what might be were back.

                Again the Saotome heir felt the urge to open the window, race out into the Nerima night, and begin looking for Ryoga himself.  Or maybe just run at full tilt across the rooftops, pushing himself to the utmost, leaving all this mess behind for awhile.  He'd given this some serious thought as soon as he'd first retired to his room for the night, and had discarded the idea.  It might feel better for him to get out and do something, even something pointless, rather than just waiting... but if Ucchan found Ryoga, one way or the other, she'd come straight back here after doing anything she needed to do.  If the lost boy turned out to be okay, Ranma figured Ukyo would want to tell him as soon as possible.  And if the reverse was true... well, he was trying his hardest not to think about that.  But he knew that if it turned out like that, he absolutely had to be here to help Ucchan deal with it.

                Ranma's mouth twisted in a bitter grimace.  Even if he did as pathetic a job as he'd done this afternoon.

                It still hurt.  He wasn't sure the pain had eased at all since then.  Ranma _hated how helpless he'd been, how he hadn't known any of the right things to say or do.  It had always been pretty easy with Akane--she got kidnapped, he'd go rescue her.  She got to feeling a little down, he'd figure out a way to cheer her up.  If she got too angry, he could let her pound on him and relieve some stress.  None of which experience was helping him now._

                At the moment, he was trying to work his way past that, concentrating on things he might say to Ukyo in the morning if she didn't find Ryoga at all.  Ranma knew, without any doubt in his mind, that she shouldn't be hurting this much.  Not when she'd saved Kaede's life.  She did what she did, and Kaede lived where she might otherwise have died.  Would certainly have died if Ukyo hadn't been there.  To him, that made other questions irrelevant; broken promise or not, whatever the fate of Ryoga, it was obvious to him that his best friend had done the right thing.

                He wanted to show her, wanted to tell her, wanted to open her eyes so she saw that she'd done what she needed to do.  Wanted to make her stop hurting.  But he didn't even know how--if something is so obvious that you don't understand how someone can't see it, how DO you convince them?  Especially when you can barely make your way through an extended conversation without ending up saying something stupid?

                Ranma had never been proud of that little fact, but he'd generally not let it bother him too much either.  Here and now, though, that blissful unconcern was light-years away.  Ucchan had done so much for him, hell, not just him but for a lot of other people too.  She'd given and given, like she'd said so long ago.  And now she needed help from him, and he just STOOD here, staring out the damn window with no CLUE as to what to do.  KNOWING that he was out of his league here... and hating it.  And hating all the more that there was no way to... change...

                A decision was made.

***************

                Most of Ukyo's abilities were significantly easier to use in low or nonexistent levels of ambient light.  Had that not been the case, or had the incident occurred at night, she could have just formed a tentacle of solid shadow, grabbed Ryoga, and flung him toward the horizon in order to get him away from Kaede.  But the bright, direct sunlight that was shining at the time had rendered that impossible--she'd have fainted from exertion before even lifting him off the ground if she had tried to summon such tangible Darkness.

                Though it wasn't affected nearly as strongly, dreamwalking suffered from similar limitations, which was one reason she didn't check up on Kodachi more often.  The fluorescent lights in the girl's room made it rather a strain to touch the waking world, even though all Ukyo was doing was looking in.

                And it was even more of a strain to try to overcome direct sunlight.  Nevertheless, it was almost a quarter past seven when Ukyo finally gave up the search for Ryoga.  The last of her strength exhausted, she collapsed into a deep, thankfully dreamless sleep, and didn't get up until well into the afternoon.

                Needless to say, by the time she was finally up and about, Ranma was all but climbing the walls from frustration and worry.

                The chef padded slowly down the stairs, still rubbing the weariness from her eyes, and uncomfortably aware of how messy her hair was.  The normal evening procedure was for Ukyo to teleport herself and Ranma to a public baths several islands over, which eliminated the need to maintain a disguise on her best friend.  No-one but Ryoga could possibly run into them there, and the lost boy all by himself would be no big deal.

                However, for obvious reasons, that trip to the baths hadn't happened last night.  Ukyo felt dirty, and hated it.  Taking a bath wouldn't have gotten rid of the feeling completely, but at least it would have helped.

                She headed downstairs, stepped out of the stairwell into the main room, stopped, and spent a few seconds blinking in surprise.  Ukyo might personally be feeling in need of some cleanup, but the same could not be said of the room before her.  Never mind eating off the floor, the place was clean enough to serve as an operating room.

                "Hey, Ucchan," Ranma said quietly, anxiously searching her face for any sign that his extended efforts at cleaning the place had helped get her feeling better.  It had been the only thing he'd been able to think of doing that might help, while he waited and waited for her to get up.  "How're you feeling?"

                Ukyo returned her attention to more immediate matters.  "Okay, I guess," she said quietly, in a tone that didn't really bolster confidence in the truth of her reply.  "Thanks for doing such a good job cleaning up, Ranchan."

                "Anytime," he said.  "Uh... no luck with Ryoga, huh?"

                She shook her head.  "No.  I'll try again tonight, I guess."

                "What about the restaurant?" Ranma asked.  "You gonna open for the evening?"

                Ukyo was silent for quite a while, contemplating this.  At last she said, "No, I guess not.  But I won't push myself too hard looking for Ryoga tonight, and I'll open up normal schedule again tomorrow.  If that's okay with you, sugar?"

                "Yeah, that'd be good," Ranma said.  "It's not like you oughta lose money or nothin', cause of having to save someone's life."

                She gave him a small smile.  "Wonder if Kaede'll come by once we're open, and chew me out for interfering in her fight?"

                Ranma frowned.  "She better not!"

                "I was joking, sugar," Ukyo said.  But she did feel better now, hearing him defend her like that.

                Silence fell, stretching for a minute or two.  Ranma tried to think up a good way to bring up a certain topic, with no success.  At last he just said, "Hey, Ucchan.  Where'd you put that rod thingie?"

                "Rod thingie?" Ukyo repeated quizzically.  "You mean what I got at the Cursed Antique Shop?"

                "Yeah, that."  Ranma cleared his throat.  "Um... I've been thinking... and I do wanna take you up on that offer you made.  If it's still good?"

                "Sure, Ranma," she replied, still in a rather curious tone.  "Why wouldn't it be?"

                "Well, you know... yesterday... and you weren't all that happy about how you ended up using your powers... I was kinda worried you were gonna change your mind about letting me in for something like that."

                "I wouldn't do that to you," she said.  "Wouldn't insult you like that.  You've seen all the stuff that's gone down.  You know what you're doing.  It's your decision to make... not mine.

                "But for the record, I DO think you're making the right one."  Ukyo forced a smile.  "Sure this hurts... but I still believe I've done a lot more good than harm, with my own abilities.  I'm sure you will too."  The smile acquired a more genuine cast.  "And I know how much you want to get rid of your curse."

                "You got that right," Ranma replied with feeling.  It was the one problem he absolutely knew he could solve at this point... and he had hopes that the solution might help him in other areas too.  "So, can we do this now?  Since you're not gonna open the place today anyway, I mean."

                "Sure thing, sugar."  Ukyo headed back upstairs, returning a short while later with the artifact in question.  She held it out to him, saying solemnly, "I give this to you free and clear, Ranma.  From this moment on, it's your property, to do with whatever you want."

                Ranma frowned, and didn't take it from her.  "Hey, Ucchan, you paid through the nose for this.  I just need to borrow it; I wasn't asking you to GIVE it to OUCH!"

                Ukyo had taken advantage of the rod's indestructibility to bop her friend on the head with it.  "Excuse me, but are you perhaps forgetting something?  The reason why I bought it outright in the first place, instead of renting it from the geezer?"

                "Oh, yeah," he said sheepishly.  "Well, okay.  If you're sure you wanna do this."

                "Absolutely," Ukyo replied, passing the rod over.

                Ranma turned it over in his hands, examining the script curiously.  Like Ukyo, he could find no memory of ever seeing that particular lettering before.  Which, the Saotome heir privately acknowledged, didn't mean too much.  This could be modern-day Arabic for all he knew.

                Abandoning these thoughts for more practical ones, Ranma took a one-handed grip on the artifact and extended it out before him.  "Okay, do what you're supposed to."

                Ukyo stared in dismay as nothing happened.  "What the hell...  No!!"

                Ranma jumped, surprised by her outburst.  "What was that for?"

                She stared disbelievingly at him.  "Uh, Ranchan... didn't you notice?!  The stupid rod didn't work!"

                He stared right back at her, in even more confusion.  "What're you talking about?"  The Saotome heir gestured with his unfrozen hand, apparently toward empty air.  "The portal's right there."

                "I can't see it," she confessed, which at least cleared things a little up for Ranma.

                "Huh.  You think this thing can only be used once by any one person?" he speculated.

                 "That or only the person who just used it can see the portal."  Ukyo chewed her lip, considering her options.  "Okay, hold onto my hand.  Maybe you can pull me through with you."

                "Um.  Are you sure that's a good idea, Ucchan?" Ranma asked.  Her earlier attempt to drive home her point about true ownership of the artifact had apparently knocked even more sense into his head than she'd intended.  "Sounds like that might be tryin' to use this thing in a way we're not supposed to.  Who knows what could happen."

                "But... but..."  Ukyo let her protest die.  Heaving a sigh, she admitted, "You're right.  We better not risk it.  Damn it all anyway."

                "Hey, it's no big deal," Ranma said, trying to comfort her.  "You don't really wanna go back there anyway, right?  Not with the kind of memories you got from your last trip, I mean."

                "Yeah, but still.  I didn't want you to have to go it alone, Ranchan." Ukyo attempted a smile, but it came out as more of a grimace.  "But I guess there's some things in life that have to be that way."

                "Don't worry.  I'll be fine," he said, as confidently as he could manage.  Quickly, determined not to show any hesitation, he turned, stepped forward, and vanished from her sight.

***************

                Waiting was the hardest part, thought Ukyo for roughly the six hundredth time.  Ironically enough, though she wasn't really conscious of this, she was now rather disappointed in the thorough cleaning Ranma had given her restaurant.  Had he left the place a mess, she would have something to do, rather than just sitting here and waiting.  She wasn't about to leave and head for the public baths, not when Ranma could come back at any moment.

                "I wonder what it'll be like for him," Ukyo muttered, trying to distract herself.  "Wonder what it's like, getting water powers.  No way in hell it can hurt like mine did."  She wondered, as she had wondered before, just what criteria the spirit used in choosing which empowerment to bestow on those who came before it.  Was it based on what it observed in them?  Their memories, their pasts, who they were?  What did that say about her, she tried not to wonder, that it had chosen to give her Darkness?

                It wasn't the first time such thoughts had crossed her mind.  She tried not to let it get to her, though, reminding herself that the spirit had decided from HER memories that RANMA'S corresponding element would be Water.  That seemed like a pretty big argument against it being based on who they were deep down inside; more likely it was just decided by what sorts of things had happened to them.  Ukyo wasn't exactly thrilled by all the pain and unhappiness she'd endured in her life... but it had happened, and though she had her scars, she'd never been crushed for good.

                She wondered, too, what effect Ranma's empowerment would have on him.  How would he be changed?  Would he be at all?  What would he see, or experience, as power over water was tied into his soul?  She was certain it wouldn't be as painful as her experience had been, but it probably would be as profound.

                "Heh.  I wonder if he'll walk out of there and tell me he realized he's put way too much into martial arts, and he's gonna give it up."  Ukyo chuckled.  "Yeah, right.  As if.  I learned a long time ago, that's not Ranma.  It never will be.  He might learn some new stuff in there, and maybe he'll change somehow or other... but he'll still be Ranchan.  Just like I'm still me."

                She chuckled again, but there was a certain hint of bitterness behind the laughter.  "Still me," she said softly.  "Maybe even MORE myself than I was before."

                During her own change, Ukyo had been bombarded with a myriad selection of painful insights, some of which had hit harder than others.  One in particular rose to the top of her mind now, one that had been quite painful indeed.  The sight had been a glimpse of herself, an image, an idea, a reflection... showing a hollow girl basing far too much of her identity, of who she was, on one thing:  her status as Ranma's fiancée.   Letting something that depended on someone else define her, give her a sense of self-worth.  Well, despite where Ranma was currently living, Ukyo knew she had corrected that failing at least.

                "It's funny, though," she whispered, her mind not really on the portal for this moment, yet speaking so quietly as if her subconscious didn't want to risk any chance the words might carry across the void to Ranma's ears.  "I see all that, I see my own mistakes, and the things Ranma's done.  I get it shoved right in my face, get the knowledge shot right into my soul that there's no chance he'll ever love me."  She raised her hand, wiped away a single rebellious tear.  "And I still love the jackass.  As much as I ever did.  Love him enough to bring him here and do all this, _knowing_ that it's all friendship to him, and that's all it ever will be."  Loved him enough to step forward out of the shadows and show Ranma just who it was who'd been helping him, rather than continue to hide her identity, because he needed to know that he hadn't been abandoned.

                "Why couldn't it have worked out some other way?" Ukyo whispered, wiping her eyes again.  Why couldn't the trauma of what she'd seen have finally laid her love for him to rest, and left just friendship?  That would have been so much less painful.  '_Heh.  That's probably why, right there.  Had to 'face the dark night of the soul', after all.  Leaving the pain behind couldn't have been on the program, I guess.'_

                She hoped she could manage it someday, though.  Hoped she could move past him, at least enough to find love somewhere else.  Hoped she wouldn't spend the rest of her life alone.

                Ukyo was distracted from these cheerful thoughts by the sudden re-emergence of her best friend into the restaurant.  As she had done, he staggered forth, pale and hollow-eyed, looking as if he'd passed through a dozen emotional wringers at once.  Also as had been the case for her, his hand unfroze and he reflexively dropped the rod, which (Ukyo assumed) triggered the vanishing of the portal behind him.

                All this had happened in only a second.  Ukyo was already on her feet, hurrying over to Ranma's side, taking a gentle hold on his shoulder and steadying him.  "Easy, sugar.  How you feeling?"

                Ranma just looked at her, as if trying to gather his scattered thoughts.  Appropriate enough, since that was exactly what he was doing.  "Ucchan..." suddenly a smile broke forth, and he said, "Ryoga's okay."

                Ukyo blinked.  "Ah... huh?"  With some effort, she hitched her jaw up, and said, "R- really?"  He nodded.  "So... how'd you know?"

                He seemed a little steadier now, a bit of color returning to his face.  "Because I saw him."  For a second his eyes were elsewhere, his gaze haunted.  "I saw a lot of things.  Can't remember it all.  There was just too much.  But the important stuff... I kept most of it.  I think."

                "What was it like for you?" Ukyo asked curiously.  "What do you mean, you saw a lot of things?  What things?  What kind of power did you get, anyway?  I mean, I know it's water, but what all can you do?  And could you give me a little more detail than just 'Ryoga's okay'?"

                Ranma endured the spate of questions as best he could; when Ukyo paused for breath, he said, "Please, Ucchan... not now, okay?  I just... I need some time before I talk about all this.  It's way too close right now."

                "O- okay, Ranma," Ukyo replied.  She hesitated, then asked, with mounting dread, "It... it really wasn't like my time was... right?  I mean, you didn't get hurt like me.  Did you?!"  Damn it, he'd better NOT have been!!

                He shook his head, weary, but wanting to reassure her.  "Nah.  Not like that.  It's just... it was so big... so much..."  Words failed him, and he picked back up with the previous thought.  "I really just want to go lie down for awhile."

                "All right," Ukyo said.  She smiled at him, as brightly as she could.  "Thanks for telling me about Ryoga, sugar.  You need any help getting up to your room?"

                "I... yeah, that'd be good."

                With Ukyo's assistance, the stairs proved no difficulty, even in Ranma's weary, unbalanced condition.  She set out the bedroll for him and got him situated comfortably on it.   "As soon as you feel like talking, I'll be there for you," she said, and turned to go.

                "Wait, please."  His voice stopped her before she'd taken even one step.

                "What is it?" Ukyo asked, turning back to face him, a little bit of worry creeping back into her eyes at the tone he'd used.

                Ranma took a deep breath.  He hadn't wanted to talk at all about this yet... but this needed to be said.  "I... I can't remember it all, Ucchan.  But I can remember that it just went on and on and on.  So much, all around me... different things, different people... but I was just seeing them.  I was alone.  Felt like it was forever.

                "So could you... could you just sit here, with me?  Not talk or nothin'.  I'm not ready.  But I really don't wanna be alone right now."

                "Of course, Ranma," she said quietly.  "I'll stay.  As long as you want me here."

***************

                Thanks to the havoc that had been played with both their internal clocks, four A.M. the next morning saw the both of them wide awake and talking.

                Ukyo eyed her best friend askance.  "Aren't you getting tired of that yet?"

                "Nope," Ranma replied with a smile.  Cold water continued to shower down on him, then slide off, cycle back into the air above him, and fall again.  He sat there, grinning like a madman, spinning the water around and around, splashing himself continuously, and leaving his form completely unchanged.

                Meanwhile, Ukyo was standing on the opposite side of the counter preparing some hot tea, against the inevitable moment when Ranma's endeavors would leave him chilled and needing something to warm him up.  Once the beverage was ready, she poured herself a cup and turned back to face him.  "You want some tea, Ranchan?"

                Ranma took one last second to let all the water splash down on him at once, then gathered it all into a sphere and set it casually on the countertop.  Ukyo blinked, a little surprised--and a little annoyed at herself for being surprised--to see that his hair and clothes were suddenly perfectly dry.  Nor did he seem all that cold, come to think of it.  "Sure, thanks."

                The chef poured a cup for him, then spent a few moments regarding the ball of water sitting on top of her counter and resisting the urge to poke it with her finger.  Having that thing destabilize, spill everywhere, and short out her grill did NOT sound like a good plan.

                "So, Ranma," she said, once he'd finished his tea.  "Just what kind of powers did you get?"  She grinned, jerking her head in the direction of the watery globe.  "Besides the obvious, I mean."

                "Let's see..." Ranma said.  "One thing was a lot like something else you can do, Ucchan.  I can teleport into water."

                "Do you still need to breathe, if you're completely underwater?" she asked curiously.

                "Nope," Ranma confirmed.  "So the next time I need to use the Saotome Secret Technique, I'll be able to do a REAL good job pulling it off."

                Ukyo giggled.  "Guess I better not challenge you to a game of tag, huh?"

                He smiled back.  "Yeah, well... that's the way it's been ever since we were kids, huh, Ucchan?"

                Given that it was pitch-black outside and the restaurant was only dimly lit, Ukyo had no trouble forming a tendril of shadow behind him to give him a light smack on the back of his head.  "Says you," she replied, sticking out her tongue.  "So what else can you do?"

                "Well, I heal really, really fast."  A contemplative look crossed Ranma's face.  "I ain't planning to do any experimenting on that any time soon... but I kinda feel like I can recover from anything.  Anything that doesn't kill me, I mean.  Like, I could even maybe regrow a finger, or a hand, or an arm..."

                "I'd just as soon you NOT put that to the test," Ukyo said in a brisk, businesslike tone.

                "You and me both," he reassured her.  "It's weird, though.  I can feel it... that I'll heal so fast, but I don't think I've got any kind of power to heal other people at all."

                "Hmmm.  That doesn't sound so weird to me, Ranchan," Ukyo said after a few moments of contemplative silence.  "I mean... it's like water just flowing back together, right?  You've been changed to have a special connection to water.  But other people don't.  That's why you can heal yourself and not anybody else."

                "Makes sense," Ranma allowed.  "Kinda does fit with the thing I CAN do for other people, too."

                "What's that?"

                "Break Jusenkyo curses," he said with a smile.

                The chef's eyes widened.  "Really?  It wasn't just your own curse this was gonna cure?"

                "Yeah, that's how it is.  Pig-boy'll be happy, anyway."  Ranma snickered suddenly.  "Dunno whether Pop is gonna give three rousing cheers, though.  I bet the old man will kinda miss that panda body."

                Ukyo gave a loud, carefree laugh of her own.  "You know what?  I bet at least once when there's trouble he'll splash himself, curl up, and start playing with a ball... and not remember until it's too late that he's still a human."

                Ranma guffawed.  "Oh man, that's perfect!  I bet you're right!"  The two friends spent some few moments chuckling over the mental image, before Ranma returned to the main subject.  "That's pretty much all my physical abilities, Ucchan."

                "So what'd you get for your spiritual ones?"

                He made a face.  "Gypped is what I got."

                Ukyo blinked.  "Huh?"

                "You know all that cool stuff you can do?  Moving through dreams and draining painful junk outta people?" Ranma asked, opting not to remind her of the other ability.  "Well, I got just one power.  ONE.  That's it."

                "Well, what is it, Ranma?" Ukyo asked half-exasperatedly.

                He gestured, and the water ball collapsed, spreading out along the countertop.  Ukyo eyed it nervously, but the leading edge stopped well before reaching her grill.  "If I wanna see something, I can call up a picture of it in water.  Like, maybe I was worried about how Ryoga was doing..." Ranma said, focusing his will.

                In an instant the water was glowing quite strongly, due to the fact that the sun was shining brightly in the scene now reflected within it.  Ukyo stared at the image of Ryoga, a little wavering and watery due to the nature of the viewing medium.  He was standing next to a campfire over which a large animal corpse was roasting, and dusting his hands off with a look of irritation on his face.  At the edge of the scene, a battered-looking grizzly bear slunk away.

                "Is this _really_ where Ryoga is right now, Ranchan?" she asked dubiously.

                "Yep.  Saotome's honor," he replied.  "I'm not even gonna bother tryin' to figure out how he ended up on the other side of the stupid Pacific ocean.  But that's where he is, all right.  And I guess you can see for yourself that he ain't lost his mind to fear or nothing."

                "Yep, I did kinda pick up on that," Ukyo said dryly.  The bear had looked like it even outweighed Genma's cursed form.  "Hey!  Can you do that for Kaede?"

                "Sure," Ranma replied.  "Uh... why?"

                Ukyo rolled her eyes.  "Ranma, did you forget what happened to her the other day?!  I just want to make sure she's all right."

                He frowned.  "Didn't you tell me she wasn't hurt physically, though?  I mean, why wouldn't she be okay?"

                His best friend heaved a long, wondering sigh.  "Geez, sugar, I do NOT understand how you can be such an optimist after the kind of life you've had," she said frankly.  "I sure can't say the same thing for myself."

                Ranma didn't quite know what to say in response to this, so he answered via action rather than words.  The scene within the pool darkened to nearly pitch-black, which for one reason or another posed no problem to either teen in making out what lay within.  Kaede lay on her bedroll, breathing easily and deeply.  "Well, looks like Kaede's fine, Ucchan," he replied.  "That's her bedroom, not a hospital or nothing."

                With some difficulty, Ukyo refrained from scowling at his easy recognition of where Kaede was.  With a mental sigh, she reminded herself of just why she didn't have a right to get ruffled feathers over such concerns.  "Thanks, Ranma," she said, rather unenthusiastically.  "So... what other kind of things can you look for?"

                He shrugged, and the picture faded from the pool of water.  "Pretty much anything.  All I have to do is think about something and ask the water to show it."

                "What about stuff that doesn't exist?" Ukyo wondered.

                "Well, in that case nothing'll happen," Ranma explained.  "I won't see anything if there's nothing to see."

                "So, in other words, it's possible that somewhere in this world there's something that'll actually EXPLAIN the stuff that's happened to us, in REAL DETAIL... and you can find it if it does exist?!" his oldest friend asked excitedly.

                Ranma's eyes widened in utter shock, and for several seconds he could find nothing to say.  At last, he admitted hollowly, "Y'know, I never even thought of that."

                She waved her hand airily.  "Well, you've only been awake for a few hours since you got these powers in the first place, sugar.  I wouldn't say that's anything to feel bad about."

                He didn't seem completely reassured by her words.  "Maybe.  I dunno, Ucchan.  It feels kinda bad to me."

                "C'mon, Ranchan, cut yourself some slack here," Ukyo protested.  "Why should that bother you?"  

                He was silent for nearly a minute.  Eventually, he replied, "It's cause of what that voice said to me."

                "Voice?"

                "You know... for you it was that stuff about the 'dark night of the soul', or whatever."

                "Oh, yeah, that."  Ukyo eyed him curiously, wondering if he was feeling ready to talk about the spiritual side of his empowerment.  For that matter, he had yet even to describe the physical side to her, though she assumed it would be like hers had been, only substituting water for darkness.  "What did it say?"

                " 'This world was called forth out of water and water is woven all throughout it still.  One who would receive power over water must be able to see clearly, to be able to take in great truths and big pictures.'  And I haven't seen all that clearly, have I?  I mean, I know I want to understand more about this stuff... but I didn't even think about scrying for it."

                " 'Scrying'?" Ukyo repeated.

                "That's what this is called, I think," Ranma said, turning his attention back to the pool of water.  "Anyway, just give me a second, and I'll see if I can come up with...  Yeah!  Looks like we're in luck."

                Another scene of near-total darkness had formed within the puddle  The view was centered on a close-up shot of some folders, standing upright in a long shelf of similar items.

                "Hmmm... pretty dark there," Ukyo said unnecessarily.  "I could step right in and get those things if I knew where it was.  Can you tell?"

                "It's pretty close, I think.  Hang on," Ranma replied, concentrating.  The view panned back, making it clear they were looking at the interior of a library.  The scene continued to shift, moving through the stacks of books, speeding through the library at large, quickly finding its way outside.

                "Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Library," Ukyo said with satisfaction.  "Great.  Okay, could you put it back to show me the row that has those things?"

                He complied.  Ukyo closed her eyes, concentrating, feeling her way toward the appropriate section of darkness... and then she was gone from the restaurant, appearing instead in the scene before Ranma, hurrying down the aisle, grabbing the batch of files, and then vanishing and reappearing beside him, already opening the first folder and confirming that it contained a series of scrolls describing empowerment with elemental Air.

                "That went pretty well," she said with satisfaction, quickly finding and passing him the folder referring to Water.  "Still think you got gypped, Ranma?"

                "I just think it's a good thing I've got you, Ucchan," he said absently, his attention already turning toward the information in his hands.

***************

                Ranma had made his way through a good two-thirds of the information in his file, without learning anything really useful.  Mostly this seemed to be designed to prepare someone to undergo the process he'd already passed through.  Not all that helpful after the fact.  In addition, only some of the information was practical at all; other parts tended toward the uselessly philosophical. ' '_Water is the essence of fluidity and adaptability.'  Well, gee, that's really helpful.  Or it would've been if Pop hadn't drilled those things into me all my life already.'_

The latest thing he'd found was confirmation of Ukyo's theory as to why he could heal himself but not others, which would doubtless make HER feel all nice and clever, but didn't really help him any.  '_Hope Ucchan's having more luck with her stuff.  This's just been a waste of time for me... hang on,' Ranma read the next part, and gave a satisfied smile at finally finding some real information.  The text had just confirmed his hunch that his powers meant he could regenerate from any normal wound that didn't kill him._

                That had been the last paragraph in the section detailing physical abilities.  Oddly enough, there had been no mention of Jusenkyo curses in the document; he supposed whoever wrote it just hadn't known about them.  Ranma turned the page, and began to read about the spiritual aspect of Water empowerment.  He didn't get very far, though, one sentence in particular grasping his attention and holding him, the scroll and its words forgotten for now.

                'As a stone dropped into a lake, so shall be the initiate,' he read.  'Such a stone creates waves, spreading outward, touching the shore, reflecting back upon themselves, breaking into thousands and thousands of tumbling fragmented ripples.  Even so is man, dropped into the world, touching the lives of others, who in their turn touch countless many more.  So shall the initiate see his life, and the effects he has had, all the choices he has made and those of the ones close to him.  So shall he view the fullness of his life, and yet shall he be cushioned as with water, protected from breaking under the strain of such a great revelation.'

                The language was much more poetical than Ranma himself would have used.  But it captured the feeling very well indeed, sending his memories ranging back to that seemingly endless time, as various images and memories and insights broke and scattered around him, _exactly like waves intersecting with one another and shattering._

                He couldn't remember all of what he'd seen there.  But Ranma had tried to hold onto what had seemed most important, and for the most part, he thought he'd managed it.  Certainly he'd found many, many new things to think about, important pieces of his situation that he'd never quite managed to see before.

                His musings were interrupted by a sudden noise.  Ranma blinked, looking up from the paper before him, turning his attention over to Ukyo.  She was pale, staring at him with her eyes open wider than he could ever remember seeing.  "Ucchan?" he asked, mentally identifying the sound she'd made as a gasp.  "Is something wrong?"

                Ukyo's eyes flicked back to the paper on the counter before her, scanning across the text as if she couldn't believe what they were telling her.  Now starting to feel rather anxious, Ranma got up and hurried around the counter.  "Ucchan?" he repeated, putting one hand on her shoulder.

                His best friend jumped, though she didn't exactly pull away.  With visible effort, she tore her eyes away from the scroll, looking back to him.  "Ranma... I... I..."  She gulped, struggling for utterance, then squeaked, "I can't talk about this right now!!"

                In an instant she was gone, teleporting away.  Ranma, more bewildered and worried than ever, quickly formed another scrying puddle.  It was some relief to find that she had just retreated to her bedroom, and more relief to take a good long look at her face and see that she didn't look to be hurt.  More shocked and unbalanced than anything else.

                He turned his attention to the portion of the scroll that Ukyo had been staring at, finding it to be her equivalent of what he'd been reading--an account of the spiritual side of elemental empowerment.  Ranma began to read it, noting idly that it was written in a different handwriting and in a different style than had been his own document.

                'Know that the darkness will scour your soul,' he read.  'You will know pain... whatever the greatest pain that could be for you, it will be laid upon you.  You will be lied to, and even as the lies come you will believe to the utmost depths of your being that they are true.  No measure of preparation or foreknowledge can shield you from this... all such warnings are forgotten in the moment, that the pain of the lies believed might strike to the very depths of your soul.  This warning that you read now will serve only for afterward, once you have made it through to the other side, that you should remember again that lies, deceptions, and hopelessness are the worst part of Darkness, and cast them off from yourself."

                Ranma broke from his reading, feeling another spasm of remorse and sorrow wash over him at the thought of Ucchan enduring something like that for him.  Especially with no warning whatsoever, like these stupid scrolls were apparently supposed to provide.  Pushing away the discomfort, he turned his attention back to the paper and reread that last paragraph.

                He had the feeling that there was something important here, if only he could grasp it...

***************************************************************

                Afterword

                Ooh, metaphysical.  Lots of twists and turns in this fic, huh?  Even the people who have good reason to think they're on top of everything can still get the foundations kicked out from under them.  Thanks to everyone at the Refuge who gave C&C.


	5. All Dreams Must End

                Nocturne

                A Ranma ½ fanfic by Aondehafka

                Disclaimer: the Ranmaverse characters owned by Rumiko Takahashi, and all that obligatory stuff.  This story based on the anime, not the manga.

*********************************************************

                Chapter 5:  All Dreams Must End

***************

                Ranma stood on a rocky promontory, staring out across the ocean.  The coast around him was rather more battered than it had been a few hours ago, the result of an extended bout of training, experimentation, and stress relief.

                He'd spent some thirty minutes trying to figure out just what was happening with Ukyo, before finally deciding that this was probably another situation where it would be better to wait and let her tell him herself when she was ready.  With that settled, he'd decided to put his new abilities through their paces.  It had been the work of an instant to locate an island hundreds of miles away from any people (he was definitely beginning to appreciate his scrying ability more now), and the work of another to teleport into the ocean and swim to shore.

                Once he was there, with nobody around to witness and ask awkward questions, Ranma had really cut loose.  He'd started out with standard katas, except it wasn't his own body flowing through the motions, but rather a Ranma-shaped construct of water.  With his physical self settled down into a meditative posture and all his will focused on the doppelganger, he'd been able to get it to move with almost as much grace as his own flesh.  And he'd found that if he just focused on speed or power, he could actually go higher than his body's limits.  MUCH higher.  Control suffered at those extreme levels, but Ranma was confident he could eventually correct this.

                Next he'd called forth a few thousand more gallons and gathered them around himself, in a rather more impressive (at least, in his humble opinion) version of one of Happosai's techniques.  He'd formed a ridiculously larger version of himself out of the water; Ranma was on the inside, well protected by his elemental shielding, and able to move the massive watery shell as if it were his own body.  Sure, it had been rather slow and clumsy on this first attempt, but practice should fix that too.

                He'd let the waters fall away from himself then, and moved into katas using his own body.  However, at the same time he was pulling waves forward out of the ocean, sending them streaming forward and around him, now pushing him along to gain extra force behind a charging strike, now cascading into a surge of sparkling white foam to blind his opponent, now blasting in an arc that would slam into someone who'd tried the most obvious dodge for the kick he'd just executed.

                This held his interest for quite awhile, since there was so much variety to the tricks he could pull off.  In fact, Ranma hadn't yet exhausted all his ideas when he paused an hour later.  The reason he stopped was that the damage to the beach was beginning to reach noticeable levels.  He contemplated this for a few minutes, then set off along the shoreline.  A few minutes' brisk walking took him within sight of a place where the shore rose into a twenty-foot cliff.  The pigtailed boy stopped and stood there, focusing, focusing...

                At a point several dozen meters out from the base of the cliff, the water began to churn, then convulse... and then, with a furious roar, it lifted, bent, and shot forward.  It came as a corkscrewing maelstrom of fury, created by all of Ranma's knowledge and experience with the Hiryu Shoten Ha and powered by every last iota of will and elemental energy he could bring to bear.

                The roaring, whirling horizontal column of water slammed into the cliff.  It chewed through the stone like so much sand, blasting away a massive section in the blink of an eye.  Ranma disengaged the technique then, and just stood for awhile, silently contemplating the damage.  Reflecting on the measure of the abilities that had been granted to him.

                Somehow, it didn't seem nearly so unbalanced now, when he contemplated his powers versus Ukyo's.  Sure she got way more spiritual stuff than he did, but that was just the way it was.  Darkness seemed to be more spiritual than physical; Water was just the opposite.  And maybe that was how it should be.

                He stared out across the ocean, thinking back on all the new tricks and techniques he now had at his command and feeling a sense of peace that he'd seldom enjoyed.  His curse was gone.  It had been replaced by abilities that would surely help solve some of the rest of his woes.  And the last vestiges of the resentment he'd never allowed himself to face, the annoyance that someone his age was so much stronger than him, had finally slipped unnoticed into oblivion.  All in all, the Saotome heir was feeling pretty good about things just now.

***************

                Ranma stood outside Ukyo's bedroom door, feeling more than a little bit disgruntled.

                He'd stayed on the island awhile longer, practicing, trying new things.  Eventually, wondering whether Ukyo might not be ready to talk now, he'd formed another scrying puddle and checked up on her.  No change--she'd still been in her bedroom, a mixture of rueful shock and contemplation on her face.  However, something else had grabbed Ranma's attention then... namely, the clock on her dresser that read 7:42.  Obviously his best friend had lost track of time.  She still had enough to get ready and make it to Furinkan, but it would be close.

                It was at that point that he'd realized one annoying limitation of his powers.  Sure, he could shift across unimaginable distances in the blink of an eye, but only into a body of water at least large enough to cover his own body.  And there was nothing like that at Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, no equivalent of the bedroom Ukyo kept conveniently dark all the time.

                He made the best of a bad situation by teleporting into the Nerima canal at the point where it ran closest to Ucchan's, then running for her place at top speed, hoping and praying that nobody would observe him doing this.  And then, after taking that risk to get back in time to shake Ukyo out of her daze, after knocking on her door and reminding her about school, only to be told in no uncertain terms that as far as his host was concerned Furinkan could kiss her spatula... well, it left Ranma feeling a little put-upon and underappreciated.

                The Saotome heir soothed his ruffled feathers by spending the next several minutes scrying out everyone he didn't want to know where he was, and confirming that none of them were near enough to have seen him en route back to Ucchan's.  There was Kaede, pushing herself determinedly through a set of exercises much like the ones he'd done not so very long ago, building up her lower-body speed...

                Kaori was on her way to Furinkan.  Ranma winced at the sight; in this unguarded moment, unhappiness was writ plain across her face.  Unhappiness that the track record showed was almost certainly his fault.  He reminded himself that no matter how nice a break it was for him personally, he couldn't afford to take too much time relaxing at Ucchan's.  Needed to face his problems down once and for all...

                Genma was in panda form, in a local park.  He'd set up a sign that read 'Chuushinteki Park Panda Petting Zoo--Admission One Pork Bun', and was doing a brisk business with the preschool crowd.  Ranma was severely tempted to head on over there and whip up a hot rain shower, but he didn't want to be responsible for traumatizing a bunch of little kids for life.  Let the old man have his fun for a bit longer...

                Cologne and Shampoo were found inside the Nekohanten, Shampoo intently studying a large shiatsu chart, Cologne giving equal attention to what appeared to be a soap opera...

                Soun was sweeping the Tendo outer yard, while Kasumi was cleaning up after breakfast...

                Akane and Nabiki walked to school together for a change, one girl showing no emotions to speak of, the other not looking much happier than had Kaori...

                Happosai was somewhere in Honshu, running gleefully along in front of a horde of outraged females, his ill-gotten gains slung over his shoulders.  All at once the old pervert jerked to a stop, all the merriment draining away from his face as he stared off into the distance, apparently at something not in Ranma's field of vision.  Then the girls caught up with him, and he had other things on his mind...

                Ryoga was still in North America, though he'd wandered even farther afield than last time.  The sun was red and hung low in the sky, and the shadows would have been long had there been anything to cast a shadow.  Such was not the case, however; Ryoga was in the middle of the flattest plain Ranma had ever seen.  The only thing breaking the monotony was the stream beside which the lost boy was setting up his camp...

*************** 

                He chose his moment well, slipping quietly out of the stream while Ryoga was inside his tent sliding the last few bars of the framework into place.  Consequently, when Ryoga exited the now-stable structure, it was quite a shock to find he was no longer alone.  Ranma stood roughly ten paces away, staring sternly down at his rival, backlit by the setting sun for extra dramatic emphasis.  Of course, this made it rather more difficult for Ryoga to see the pigtailed boy's stony expression, but one can't have everything.

                "Ranma?" Ryoga asked hesitantly, squinting forward and trying to determine whether he was really seeing what he thought he was.  On the one hand, it did look like Ranma.  On the other, this was the last place he'd expect to run across his foe.  "What are you doing in Okinawa?"

                Only the fact that he was here to confront Ryoga about nearly killing Kaede kept Ranma from facefaulting.  Still, he was momentarily rendered speechless.

                Meanwhile, the initial shock was wearing off for the lost boy.  His startled expression shifted into a scowl.  "It IS you!  Never mind how you got here, Ranma.  I'm gonna make you pay for hurting Akane like that!"  His umbrella was inconveniently located several feet away.  Deciding not to bother with it, he charged.

                That was more than enough to shake Ranma from the remains of his discomfiture.  He took a few quick steps forward to meet Ryoga, dodging the other boy's strike.  As this was their first fight since Ranma took his speed training to the next level, Ryoga was nowhere near ready for his rival's increased quickness.  Ranma had all the opportunity he needed to shift to one side and launch his own attack.  Ryoga had already braked to a stop and was turning to strike again--which played perfectly into Ranma's hands.  The Saotome heir twisted, then whipped his leg around in the strongest roundhouse kick he could manage.  The strike connected without much force, though; Ryoga was standing too close for there to have been any real momentum built up just yet.  Which was exactly as planned.

                Ranma fed every last bit of strength he had into the attack (it was nice not to have to worry about straining his muscles or tearing a ligament), pushing past the sudden added drag.  His move picked Ryoga up and swept him along, sending him flying as if shot from a sling.  The pigtailed teen was careful to angle the direction downward, knowing that if he gave his opponent too much air time the other boy would easily recover in time to control his fall.  Instead, Ryoga slammed into the ground just five feet away from Ranma and continued going, plowing along for another five feet before coming to rest in a crumpled heap, with a mound of earth three times his own mass piled up behind him.

                Ryoga actually took a few seconds to shake that one off, before climbing back to his feet with a growl of renewed determination.  "Damn you, Ranma!" he roared, on seeing no sign of his nemesis.  "How dare you run away again?!"

                "Excuse me?" Ranma retorted sardonically, from his position some five feet behind Ryoga.  "I'm right here, pig boy.  Come and get me."

                The lost boy whirled, and prepared to do just that... then froze at the sight before him.  Ranma was standing up straight, but his head came only to the level of Ryoga's waist.  The reason for this was simple--_he_ was standing waist-deep in the stream beside which Ryoga had camped.  The pack that Ranma had been wearing when he arrived was still slung across his back, but now it hung flat and empty.  Its contents rested in Ranma's hand:  a large sealed wooden cask, marked in big bold black lettering that Ryoga could read even at this distance and in this failing light.

                He stared at the cask labeled Nannichuan at least as intently as a starving man would a nine-course French dinner placed just out of his reach.  "Is... is that..." he struggled to get the words out.

                "I got your cure right here, Ryoga," Ranma said curtly.  Technically it was true, even though the cask was just something he'd picked up at a bathhouse, filled with ordinary water, and labeled himself.  "No tricks.  No catches.  No more games or lies or stupid things that look like they're gonna help us but end up bein' so much hot air."

                "GIVE IT HERE!!"  The tortured cry rang out over miles and miles of prairie.

                "Not yet," Ranma retorted.  "You've got to promise me something first."

                With a great deal of effort, Ryoga held back his instinctive response to this.  "And what's that?" he managed to say, in a strangled sort of voice that would have sent many Nerima residents running for the hills.

                Ranma's reply came in tones of quiet reason, which contrasted nicely.  "Promise you'll listen to everything I got to say before you attack me again."

                Ryoga blinked.  "That's all?"  Ranma nodded.  "Not, 'Promise not to attack me'?  Just listen to your stupid excuses before I do?"

                The Saotome heir growled, and cocked one fist menacingly over the cask.  Ryoga began frantically waving his hands and shouting pleas for mercy.  "Listen up, Ryoga," Ranma yelled.  "You think I'm out here for my health?!  This is a hell of a lot more serious than you seem to think!  Now are you gonna promise?  Or do I give some fish a life-changing experience?!"

                "I promise!!" Ryoga shouted frantically.  

                In that instant the Saotome heir focused, reaching out toward the sense of wrongness emanating from Ryoga.  He'd been able to feel the power of water in the other boy ever since he got here... but it was perverted somehow, mixed with something with which it never should have been... with a mental twist, he severed the connection, only just holding back a smile of satisfaction as the unnatural sensation finally disappeared.

                Unaware of the fact that the whole charade was now completely unnecessary, Ryoga continued to plead.  "I'll listen to whatever you've got to say!!  Just please, _please, _PLEASE GIVE IT HERE!!"

                Resisting with some difficulty the urge to toss the cask toward Ryoga, Ranma moved forward and handed his cargo over.  "Here ya go, bacon boy.  Heh... guess I'm not gonna be able to call you that much longer, huh?"

                His question went both unanswered and unnoticed.  Ryoga was staring at the cask as if he held the Holy Grail in his hands.  Closing his eyes and saying a silent prayer, the lost boy raised the cask over his head and shattered it with one swift blow.

                The water inside cascaded down over him, leaving him wet... and otherwise unchanged.  For a long moment he stood there trembling.  And then, with a yell, he whirled and charged.

                Ranma gave Ryoga some five minutes to stand in the stream and laugh maniacally.  Eventually, though, he forcefully cleared his throat, calling the other's attention to himself.  "You ready to listen now, Ryoga?"

                "Yeah, sure, whatever."  Truth be told, Ryoga doubted he would be able to give Ranma the pounding he deserved for his heartless actions toward Akane anyway.  At least not tonight; he was just in too good a mood now.  The lost boy climbed out of the stream, heading over to his backpack and pulling out a towel.  "Go on."

                "Okay."  Ranma took a deep breath, marshalling his thoughts.  "Ryoga, about--"

                "Hey, where'd you get Nannichuan water anyway?" Ryoga demanded, interrupting him.

                Ranma frowned, then decided a technique from one of his favorite anime would work nicely here.  He shifted his face into an annoying grin.  "Now that... is a secret!"

                "Not you too," Ryoga grumbled under his breath.  "I hate it when I run into that stupid priest."

                For Ranma's peace of mind, it was probably just as well that he didn't quite catch that.  "Listen, Ryoga, I got to talk to you about something serious.  I mean REAL serious.  I mean more serious than your cure OR mine."

                Ryoga blinked.  Ranma blowing off his rival's cure was one thing, but saying this meant more than his own?  "Okay, I'm listening."

                "I'd like you to tell me just what happened a couple of days ago.  With Kaede," he added for clarification.

                The lost boy frowned, his good mood dimming.  So he'd heard about that fight already, had he?  Chances were Ranma knew about his latest ace in the hole, then.  Why couldn't he ever get the break he deserved?  Still, considering that he was currently damp from cold water that hadn't washed away his human form, the thought held rather less angst than it usually did.  "What's to tell?  You must know about it already.  I got into a fight with that new fiancée of yours."

                "I know that," Ranma growled.  "Already heard one side of it.  Now I want to hear yours."

                Ryoga just gestured helplessly.  "What's to say?"  Mentally, he continued, '_No way am I gonna let you trick me into giving out ALL the details of my new move, Ranma!_'

                "Okay.  Let's start simple.  Who won?"

                "I did," Ryoga asserted.  "I had her down for the count."  He frowned.  "No matter what she told you, that's how it was.  The fight was over."  It was annoying enough that Kaede had beaten him so easily the first time... no way was he going to let anyone cast doubt on his comeback victory.

                "How could she have told me anything else?" Ranma inquired.  "I mean, if you really knocked all the fight out of her, how could there be any question about who won?"

                Ryoga squirmed a little, but decided this was a better question than just HOW he'd taken Kaede down.  "Umm... well, the thing is... Ukyo kinda caught the tail end of the fight.  She ran forward and interfered."

                Ranma's eyebrows climbed toward his hairline in surprise.  How exactly had Ryoga managed to work out that what had happened next had been Ukyo's doing?  There were many things that the lost boy was not, and one of them was perceptive.  "Interfered how?"

                After squirming a little more, Ryoga admitted, "Well... you know how it is... I mean, it kinda looks bad when a guy fights a girl... and Ukyo wasn't there to see that she started it anyway..."

                "Would you get to the point?!" Ranma demanded.

                "Look, Miss Okonomiyaki Obsession was gonna splash me in broad daylight, in front of a hundred people!" Ryoga shouted back.  "So I took off.  That's what I meant."

                Ranma spent a few more moments blinking in surprise.  "You thought she was gonna trigger your curse?"

                "Thought nothing, it was plain as day!  You'd understand if you had a real curse, Ranma.  You would've run too!!"

                "I guess having it revealed in front of everybody like that would be pretty scary," Ranma mused.

                "Yeah, terrify--"  Ryoga caught himself.  "Shut up!  Like you'd've done any better in my place!"

                "Prob'ly not," Ranma admitted.  "I guess if I'd been there instead of you and the same thing had happened to me, I probably woulda run too."  Given that he knew what Ukyo had REALLY done to cause Ryoga's terror, admitting that didn't come particularly hard.

                "Yeah... well," the lost boy said, his ruffled feathers settling.

                Ranma waited a few moments, then continued.  "Okay.  I got it.  Ucchan ran up, you ran off so she wouldn't take you down the cheap way."  He frowned, not that Ryoga could see this all that well in the fading light.  "What I really wanna talk about is what happened next."

                "What happened next?" Ryoga echoed.

                "Yeah."  Ranma's voice sharpened, and grew cold enough that Ryoga shivered involuntarily.  "The part where Ucchan checked Kaede for a pulse, and didn't find one.  The part where she gave her CPR, which is the only reason I've still got as many fiancées now as I did the day before your fight."

                A long moment of frozen silence, then Ryoga burst to his feet.  "You're lying!!"

                "No way.  No how.  Your technique shut her heart down.  You woulda KILLED her, Ryoga," Ranma said in the coldest tone he could manage.  "I swear on my honor as a martial artist.  I ain't lyin' or stretchin' the truth or nothing.  If Ucchan hadn't've been there, Kaede would be dead now.  Her blood would be on your hands."

                "But I... I didn't..." Ryoga searched frantically for the words.  "I didn't hit her with anything that bad!"

                "That ain't how I heard it," Ranma countered remorselessly.  "What I heard sounded like you used some kinda twist on the Shi Shi Hokodan, set up to shoot into her when she got too close to you."

                Ryoga gritted his teeth.  "Yeah, that IS pretty much what I did.  But do you think that was the first time I ever pulled the move off, Ranma?  Not even close!  I'd gotten it to work a long time before I had that second fight with Kaede, and I'd used it to win three matches!  And none of those guys took any real damage!!"  He was shouting now, desperation in his voice.  "It just took all the fight out of them.  Hell, this version is even LESS powerful than the usual Shi Shi Hokodan!!"

                "Yeah, well, it was powerful enough to take ALL the fight out of Kaede, FOREVER," Ranma said flatly.

                The lost boy held tensely silent for the next little while, his thoughts racing in circles of desperation and confusion.  Ranma sat there and watched him, content to let the other boy work things through for himself for now.

                Several long minutes passed... and then Ryoga seemed to sag, sinking back down to the ground.  "Maybe it was because of that technique she had," he half-whispered, more to himself than to Ranma.  "Maybe that was what caused it."

                "Technique?"

                "Yeah, the first time I fought her, she broke my normal Shi Shi Hokodan and drained power out of it to boost herself," Ryoga explained absently.  "That was what gave me the idea to work this new move out.  But maybe being able to do that makes her more vulnerable to something like this."

                "Maybe so," his rival acknowledged.  "Well, lucky you, Ryoga.  She told me how to do that trick too.  Guess you got a real good weapon now, if you wanna fight me again.  Heck, you could finally make good on that 'Ranma, prepare to die!' thing."

                "Shut up!"  It was more a tortured plea than an indignant demand.  "You think I wanted this, Ranma?!  I never meant to go that far!!"  Even if she _had_ whipped a cutting edge a micrometer away from breaking the skin of his neck.

                The Saotome heir shrugged.  "Guess you better not use that technique then, huh?  Or at LEAST have the sense to talk to the old ghoul about it first, see if it's safe or not."

                "Maybe I'll do that," Ryoga said quietly.  Or then again, maybe he'd just bury this technique in the deepest, blackest depths of his unconsciousness, and try to forget what he'd apparently come so close to doing.

                Silence fell again, lasting for several more minutes.  At last, with the air of one really in need of a change of subject, Ryoga spoke up.  "Really though, Ranma.  Where'd you get the Nannichuan?"

                Ranma frowned.  "I already told ya, I'm not saying.  It's not important anyway."  He figured he'd probably have to let everyone in on his new abilities eventually, but there was no way in the world he was letting that secret slip out anytime soon.

                Ryoga acquired a matching frown.  "Wait a minute... did Shampoo give it to you?!"

                "Huh?  Where'd that come from?" the other boy responded, too surprised to deny it outright.

                "I knew it!" Ryoga growled.  "This was her way of paying you back for favoring her while you treat Akane like crap!!"

                "Excuse me?"  Ranma's tone dipped back toward glacial levels.  "You wanna repeat that, P-chan?"

                "DON'T CALL me... P-chan..." Ryoga's protest ran out of steam as the reminder of his broken curse sank in.  He tried to pull himself together, tried to recapture the righteous anger that Ranma deserved for his heartless actions.  "She told me, Ranma!  Akane told me how you as good as slapped her in the face!  How you wouldn't even let her stand up for herself to someone who'd humiliated her in her own home!"

                Ranma heaved a long and weary sigh.  "Oh.  Really.  She told you that, did she?"

                "Yes, she did!"

                "Told you how she went over to the Cat Café to give Shampoo a formal challenge?  How Shampoo asked me if Akane was ready to fight her for real?  How Shampoo said that if Akane was, that's how she'd fight her?  FOR REAL?"

                "Ummm... some of that..."  It was funny, but until this moment Ryoga hadn't really given much thought to that angle.  That Akane had been going to pick a fight... no, issue a formal challenge to Shampoo.  As much as the lost boy encouraged the love of his life regarding her martial arts skills whenever he got the chance, he knew that Akane was nowhere near the level she'd need to be to take on Shampoo for real.

                But with that thought, he recovered his balance.  "She told me the important part, Ranma!  She would've won that fight, and you cheated her out of it!"

                "Interesting use of 'cheated' there, Porky," Ranma muttered, wondering how badly Ryoga would've taken it if he had ever deliberately used his rival's curse to win one of their serious matches.  Louder, he continued, "Yeah?  You think so?  Did Akane happen ta clue you in that Shampoo's learned the Amaguriken now?"

                "No, but what's that got to do with anything?!"

                Ranma shrugged.  "Gee, I dunno.  You think maybe... just _maybe_... she might've managed to block Akane's shot with a bonbori?  The tomboy'd only get that one moment of surprise, you know."

                Ryoga could find nothing to say.  After a moment Ranma filled the silence himself.  "And what if she HAD pulled it off?  You forget what happens when an Amazon gets defeated by an outsider girl?"

                Another rather more awkward silence.  Ranma opted not to end this one, waiting instead to see what Ryoga's reaction would be.

                "Damn you, Ranma!" the lost boy eventually exploded.  "This is all your fault!  This stuff happens to Akane over and over and over again!  You never treat her right, you hurt her time and time again, you put her in danger and complain about how she can't keep up with you!  You should've cleaned up this mess a long time ago!!"

                Amazed that Ryoga had managed to hit at least one nail on the head in that diatribe, Ranma just replied soberly, "Yeah, well, if you run across a time machine so I can go back and fix all the mistakes I made, be sure an' tell me about it."

                "I'm serious!" Ryoga shouted.  "This isn't some stupid joke, Ranma!"

                "No duh, pork brain," the Saotome heir replied acerbically.  "Why d'you think I came all the way out here with that cask for you?  I'm trying to deal with my problems once and for all.

                "But if you think that's easy, then you're living in a dream world."  Ranma glared through the gloom.  "You think you got all the answers, Ryoga?  Then you tell me... what SHOULD I do next?"

                "Stop insulting and hurting Akane!"

                "SPECIFICS, you moron!!"  Ranma took several deep breaths.  "Don't tell me NOT to do something.  Tell me what I DO need to do.  How would you..." he cut that sentence off, amending it to a version that would be more helpful, "how do you think I should solve the fiancée stuff?"

                Now Ryoga was well and truly on the horns of a dilemma.  Had Ranma just asked him how he would act if he were in Ranma's place, the answer would have been easy enough not even to require conscious thought.  But he just couldn't tell _Ranma_ to dump all the other girls and be a caring faithful doting fiancé to Akane!

                While his rival was still struggling in silence, Ranma spoke again.  "Ain't as easy as ya thought, is it?"  He didn't wait for a response.  "I'll tell you what I'm gonna do, at least as far as the Tendos go.  Akane's broken the engagement for the last time.  I don't care if that IS the only promise the old man meant to keep.  As far as I'm concerned, it's gone.  Over.  Finished.  Kaput.  Akane and me ain't nothing to each other any more."

                "You can't do that."  Ryoga felt as if the words were being pulled out of him by heavy, brutal machinery.  Each one cost him effort greater than throwing a Perfect Shi Shi Hokodan, but they came nonetheless.  "Not yet.  She... she isn't ready for that... not with the way she acted, not with the things she said..."

                "Too freakin' bad," Ranma said coldly.  "I know you think I'm the scum of the earth and Akane can do no wrong, Ryoga.  But that's not the world I live in.  And I'm not going back there.  Not anymore."

                "I promised I'd listen to everything you had to say."  Ryoga's tone could have ground through granite.  "Are you finished yet?"

                "Not quite yet," Ranma replied.  "Just one more thing."

                "Go on."

                The pigtailed boy heaved another long, weary sigh.  "Ryoga.  Half the time I get Akane mad at me, I don't even know what I did wrong.  The other half, I don't understand how it coulda mattered that much to her.  It's the same old thing, over and over again.  You say I just keep on hurting her?  You say it's all my fault?  Well, maybe so, but if I don't know any better, how the hell am I supposed to fix it?!"

                "How can you not know any better?!" Ryoga demanded, using indignation to cover the fact that he had no clue how to answer the question.

                "That isn't any kind of answer, Ryoga.  Far as I can see, there's just one way out, and it's the one I'm taking.  Get out now, maybe... _maybe_ hurt Akane one last time by dumping her.  Seems to me like that's better than keeping on hurting her until she finally tells me to go and don't change her mind afterward."

                Ryoga was silent for a long time, at last giving a supremely-reluctant, "Maybe."

                "Maybe nothing.  I'll be doing the tomboy a favor.  Clearing out of the way and making room for somebody on the same page as her," Ranma said rather more cheerfully.  "Somebody who can eat her toxic food, somebody who don't mind how uncute she is, somebody who's strong and slow and bad-tempered to boot... sounds like a match made in heaven, right, P-chan?"

                That decided it.  If Ranma was making stupid jokes, then he must've finished saying everything Ryoga had promised to listen to.  And whether or not Ranma was ultimately doing the right thing here, Ryoga still owed him one for hurting Akane anyway.  The lost boy surged to his feet, with a battle-cry of "Don't call me P-CHAN!!"

***************

                '_What am I going to do?_'

                The question echoed through Ukyo's mind, over and over again.  Nor was it the only one; the chef's consciousness was filled with a cacophony of fragmented thoughts, whirling emotions... and resurrected dreams.

                Just about everything she'd done over the past couple of months, all the plans she'd laid, the course she'd charted and followed to the best of her abilities, all of it had been based around one central truth:  that her time with Ranma was limited.  That she only had so much, and no more, of a window of opportunity to be with him.  That he might stay with her for a time, might listen to her and let her help him... but sooner or later she'd have to let go, because he was never, ever going to love her like she loved him.

                A 'central truth' that could suddenly no longer be trusted at all.

                "This just isn't fair!!" she lamented.  "I never actually told him... never came right out and _said _I'd been made to believe he'd never love me.  And now... what's he going to think?"

                It was a fair question.  While Ranma wasn't exactly the suspicious sort, Ukyo thought this scenario would likely strain even his ability to trust.  '_Let's see... I know I didn't tell you this before you got your own power-up, Ranma honey, but the main reason I actually broke our engagement was cause the Dark told me there was no chance you'd ever love me.  Except this scroll I suggested you look for says that was probably a lie.  So now that you're living with me and we're the only two people we know who've got this kind of power, you wanna take the engagement back up?_'

                Ridiculous coincidences happened all the time in Nerima, but even to a veteran of the craziness like Ukyo, this one felt over the top.

                '_I could just... not say anything,_' she thought hesitantly.  '_Just keep quiet.  That way, if anything happens, it'll happen honestly.  And if nothing happens, I won't be any worse off than I was before..._'

                She considered the thought for all of ten seconds, before a stray memory tickled her mind, a memory of her sleeping guest and the only thing that had held her back from giving him a kiss.  The chef grimaced, remembering that she couldn't afford any more self-deception.  If there was any chance that her dreams might come true after all, there was no way she was going to be able to hold back from pursuing them.  She was a seventeen-year-old girl, not some monk who'd learned iron restraint through decades of meditation under an icy waterfall.

                Which raised another nasty issue.  Ukyo knew (or had known) that despite what any outsider would have thought, bringing Ranma here to live with her had been an innocent act.  However, the revelation of this morning had shattered that fact, leaving only a confusing tangle of uncertainty.  Would Ranma still want to stay here?  Should he?  Was it even fair, given that she now wanted back into the game, for her to keep an advantage like having him live with her?

                Ukyo dismissed that last objection almost as soon as it arrived.  Ranma had spent more than a year living under the same roof as Akane, the LEAST deserving of ANYONE in the fiancée scramble in her humble opinion.  Any semblance of fairness about this competition had long ago been flushed down the toilet.

                But the more important questions still remained.  She'd offered this sanctuary to Ranma in good faith, as a sort of neutral ground, a place where he could stay without that decision making any sort of impact on the choices he had to make.  And suddenly that wasn't going to be true anymore... at least, she hoped not.

                But then again, Ukyo reminded herself sadly, this could all be a moot point.  She knew she'd been lied to during her transformation, but there was no guarantee that THIS had been a lie.  The visions of the future if nothing was done--Ranma dying, Ranma suiciding, Ranma chained as an Amazon slave--had hurt just as much.  Those could have been the deception and the other nothing but truth.  She might make her offer, only to have him dismiss it... and her... one last time.

                The thought hurt like a demon clawing away at her from the inside out.  But at least, Ukyo thought as bravely as she could, it would finally be settled.

                With that, the chef let out a long, drawn-out sigh, and got to her feet.  It was time and past to quit stewing in her room like this.  She headed out into the hallway and down the stairs, intending to soothe her nerves with a nice round of the Art of the Okonomiyaki.

                As luck would have it, Kaede arrived at the front door just in time to meet Ukyo's gaze through the window.

                Ukyo's jaw dropped in shock, the other girl's inquiring, entreating look not yet registering in her mind.  What on earth was Kaede doing here?

                The chef finally recovered her balance when the other girl grimaced and knocked loudly.  She hurried over and opened the door, making a mental note to point out to Ranma that he hadn't locked it when he left.  "Can I help you?" she asked, remembering just in time that as far as the other girl was concerned Ukyo shouldn't know her name.

                "Umm... you're Ukyo Kuonji, right?"

                Ukyo nodded.  "That's me.  And you...?"

                "Kaede Hayashibara."  Kaede fidgeted.  "Ah... could I come in?"

                Now, Ukyo was hardly enthusiastic about THAT idea.  Ranma wasn't here at the moment; it would actually have been safer if he was.  That way she could just have done her usual thing and introduced him as 'cousin Takeshi'.  However, with her houseguest off who-knew-where and due back who-knew-when, the situation was a good bit trickier than that.  If Kaede should still be there when he decided to come dashing back home... well, Ukyo for one was nowhere near ready to have their cover blown just yet.

                On the other hand, saving someone's life gives you a certain measure of responsibility toward them.  Ukyo couldn't quite bring herself to blow this off, especially since the vulnerable look in Kaede's eyes made it seem likely that she'd come to talk about just that.  The chef compromised with a quick excuse.  "Actually, it's not as clean in here as I'd like for visitors, sugar."  Technically true--she didn't want ANY of Ranma's acquaintances visiting while his stuff was cluttering up her guest bedroom.  "If you want to talk, we could go for a quick walk or something?"

                Kaede shook her head ruefully.  "I can't.  Been doing some hard training this morning; it was all I could do to walk over here.  I _really_ need to sit down.  Don't worry about how messy it is, I promise I couldn't care less."

                Ukyo bit her lip, seeing no way out.  "Well... okay."

                She turned, and Kaede followed her into the restaurant.  Kaede took a few seconds to glance puzzledly around the room (which seemed quite tidy enough to _her_), before deciding that restaurant operators probably had to go by a different standard of 'clean' than ordinary people.  She sank onto a stool with a grateful sigh.  "That's better.  I should have taken a taxi over here."

                "So... what'd you want to talk about?" Ukyo asked, seating herself as well and doing her best not to appear nervous.

                "Can't you guess?"  Kaede blinked.  "That _was_ you the other day, who helped me after the fight with that bastard Hibiki, wasn't it?"

                As tempting as it was to reply in the negative and get Kaede out of there quickly, Ukyo suspected this would likely cause more problems down the road.  "Yeah, it was," she replied, "but how'd you know?  I mean, you were unconscious the whole time."

                Kaede shrugged.  "I asked around.  Wasn't too hard to find someone who'd seen the fight and knew who you were and where I could find you."

                "Mm," Ukyo replied noncommittally.

                The other girl paused, trying to decide what to say next.  At last, she continued, "The people I talked to said you gave me CPR, Ukyo.  Was that... are you sure..." she took a deep breath, "...did I really need it?  I mean, did I really have no pulse?  Had my heart actually stopped beating?"

                "Afraid so," Ukyo said, as kindly as she could.  "Just for the few seconds it took me to get over to you and start you going again, though."

                "So that's how it is," Kaede said.  She fell silent, brooding.  Ukyo shifted her weight nervously, feeling more and more anxious for this little encounter to end.  When Kaede spoke up again, the chef nearly bounced an inch off her seat.

                Fortunately, Kaede wasn't looking directly at her, and didn't notice.  "So, you saw the end of the fight.  Do you know just what Hibiki did to me?"

                Ukyo opted not to give the full story.  "I think it was some kind of chi thing?"  She shrugged helplessly.  "I've never had that kind of training myself."

                Kaede frowned a frown of disappointment.  She'd hoped to be able to clear things up quickly and easily, but evidently her luck wasn't going to be that good.  "Crud.  Well, let me ask you something else.  You've been around here awhile, right?"  The restaurant didn't have any of the aura of gleaming newness she would have expected if its proprietor had only been here for a few months.  And it certainly hadn't been hard to find someone who knew who Ukyo was and where to find her.  "I mean, would you say you know Ryoga Hibiki pretty well?"

                Ukyo shrugged.  "I guess.  Probably as much as anybody other than Ranma."

                "Well... then tell me what you think about all this.  I mean, if it weren't for you, Hibiki would have..." she held back a shudder, "would have KILLED me.  It wasn't like I was threatening him with anything worse than a knockout blow, either.  He knew that was what I was going to do next, and his counter STOPS my HEART!"  She gave herself a few moments to breathe deeply and push past the emotion, before saying, "What kind of guy is this Ryoga anyway?  Was what happened an accident, do you think?  Or do I need to make damn sure he doesn't ever pull something like that again?"

                "What exactly do you mean by that?" Ukyo said slowly, her anxiety at the thought of Ranma's return suddenly getting pushed to the back burner.

                Kaede stared the other girl straight in the eyes.  "What do you think?  Even if I never fought him again, that wouldn't make things safe.  Hibiki says he's Ranma's greatest rival--and there's no way in hell I'm going to risk my fiancé's life, no way I'll let that bastard do to Ranma whatever it was he did to me.  If it wasn't an accident, something that he lost control of... if he did just what he meant to do... I'll fight him one more time.  One last time."

                "You mean you'd KILL him?!" Ukyo demanded, aghast.  A fleeting vision of blasting Kaede with Fear in order to save Ryoga's neck danced through her mind.

                "No, not kill," Kaede hastened to clarify.  "Just... disable."

                "I think I'm going to need a little more detail than that!"

                Kaede grimaced, wishing she could've avoided putting this into words.  "It's... there's one shiatsu technique I know that I've never used yet.  Never, ever wanted to.  It'd turn most of his voluntary muscles against themselves, cramping and spasming until they tore.  It would take years of therapy to even walk again after that, and he'd NEVER be any threat in a fight."

                Ukyo's mouth opened and closed several times, before she managed to find words again.  "And THAT'S what you're asking me if I think you should do?!  That's... that's..."

                "It's WHAT?!" Kaede demanded, desperation in her eyes and in her voice.  "What ELSE am I supposed to do?!  If this guy's showed his true colors now, if he really is a killer... and NOT for self-defense either, like I already told you... then I've got a responsibility here.  I can't let it happen again.  Not to Ranma OR to some innocent shmoe I've never met."

                Ukyo chewed her lower lip, agreeing in principle, but fairly certain that such drastic measures were not needed.  It was more than a little unnerving to hear Kaede talking so bluntly about being willing to go that far.  "I don't think that's how it is, Kaede.  Pretty sure Ryoga didn't mean to kill you."

                Indebted to Ukyo though she was, Kaede couldn't just take this statement at face value, couldn't ignore the chance that the chef might be shying away from contributing toward Ryoga's judgment.  Perhaps she would rather lie than take any part of that kind of responsibility.  "You sure about that?" Kaede asked dubiously.

                "Yeah," the other girl replied.  "Mind you, I didn't get a really good look at the scene, but I remember that Ryoga was gloating at you about his comeback victory.  It sure _looked_ like he thought you were still in a condition to hear him."

                "Really."  Kaede favored her host with a piercing stare.  "So why'd you run up when you did, then, if you didn't have any good reason to think Ryoga might really have hurt me?"

                Ukyo had already begun thinking frantically as soon as 'why'd you run up' had registered.  "Well... the thing is, Kaede... I've fought Ryoga before."  A very long time ago, but she had.  "He's used to fighting Ranma, who you may or may not know is a totally kick-butt fighter.  Incredibly strong and fast and skilled.  The kind of effort Ryoga has to put out to fight Ranma... well, fighting someone else that hard, he could end up hurting them by accident.  That's what I was worried about.  That AND the fact that he's got this nasty habit of wandering off into some godforsaken corner of the wilderness and coming back with a new technique to try and beat Ranma with.  So he could have been trying something brand-new on you.  I mean, it was nothing I'd ever seen him use before."

                Kaede mulled over that thought for a bit.  "Makes sense.  Guess it could have been an accident, at that.  Maybe I need to talk to him before I do anything else."

                "And anyway, there's other, better ways of dealing with the situation than CRIPPLING him," Ukyo retorted.  "Even if it turned out that he was trying to kill you."

                "And what would those be?"

                "Amazon shiatsu techniques.  Shampoo knows this nice trick called the Xi Fang Gao that lets her wash whatever memories she wants to right out of your hair."

                After grumbling under her breath for several moments about unfair advantages, Kaede said, "Well, that's good to know.  I guess."

                "I'd say so.  Nice to know you had some option other than utterly destroying him, I mean," Ukyo said acerbically.

                "Yeah, yeah, take it easy on that already," Kaede retorted, waving one hand dismissively.  "You think I liked the thought?  Hell, no!  Besides, I could've done something a lot worse."

                "Like what?"

                "Like tell my dad the whole story of what happened, if I thought Ryoga really meant it."  Kaede stared soberly ahead.  "We wouldn't have to worry about him anymore after that, that's for sure."

                There was a long, awkward pause.  Kaede ended it, saying, "Well, I'm feeling a bit more rested now.  Probably should start on my way back home.  Thanks for the advice, Ukyo."

                "No problem," Ukyo replied, getting up to walk Kaede to the door.  "Glad I could help."

                "Yeah, you helped me quite a lot," Kaede joked.  Then her eyes widened, and she smacked herself on the forehead.  "Oh, yeah, there was one other thing I came here to say."

                "Which is...?"

                "That I'm in your debt."  There had been many serious things said here this morning, but Kaede spoke this last more soberly and with greater significance than anything that had gone before.  "You saved my life, Kuonji.  When you tell me how... I'll repay the debt."

                Ukyo allowed herself a slight smile.  "I'll give it some thought," she promised.  "Wouldn't want to leave something like that hanging over your head."

***************

                Ten minutes after Kaede had left, Ranma returned.  Ukyo heaved a long, relieved sigh that the near miss had been just that, and not a catastrophe.  "Never thought I'd say this, Ranchan, but I'm glad you waited this long to come back."

                "What, you think I wanted Kaede to find me here?"

                "Uh... wha?  How'd you...?!"

                Ranma shrugged.  "I take back what I said about gettin' gypped.  Scrying's a heck of a lot more useful than I thought it was going to be.  For instance, I can check up on all the nutcases and make sure none of them are too near before I jump back to Nerima."

                Ukyo resisted the urge to smack herself with her own spatula.  "Why didn't I think of that?"

                "Eh, why should you have?" Ranma said dismissively.  "I mean, that would mean I'm actually stopping and thinking things through, instead of just blundering along and making stupid mistakes.  Ain't something you've seen me do a lot, right?"

                His best friend chewed her lower lip unhappily.  She'd actually _meant_ the question to be 'why didn't I think of using that as a precaution', not 'why didn't I think you would have thought of something like that by yourself'.  "Ranma... that isn't... I mean, you shouldn't dump on yourself like that..."  Then she blinked, realizing that though his words had sounded rather bitter, he didn't seem to be _feeling_ anything nearly that dark.  "Hey... are you just fishing for sympathy or something, sugar?  You aren't exactly suffering there, far as I can tell."

                "Just facing the facts, Ukyo," he replied.  "Way I'm looking at it, I've got a second chance now.  I've gotta make good use of it.  And that means not ignoring the mistakes I made, and for sure not keeping on making 'em."

                "Right."  Ukyo swallowed, suddenly nervous.  "Ah... I might be able to help you.  With Kaede, I mean.  If you want out of that engagement."

                "Yeah?" Ranma said, interested.  His best idea so far for that one had been to slip Kaede several more techniques over the course of the next few weeks, and then get with her dad and lay everything out on the table.  That Genma had never meant to keep his word.  That Ranma just wasn't going to let a choice like this be made for him.  That he was trying to clean up his old man's mess, and that he'd done his best to repay the 'dowry' that had been given to seal his and Kaede's engagement.

                But if Ukyo had an idea that wouldn't take the better part of a month to bring off, and wouldn't involve meeting regularly with Kaede without letting her know where he was staying, he was all ears.  "What've you got in mind?"

                "It was partly why she came by this morning, Ranchan.  To tell me that she would repay the debt she owed me.  You know, for saving her life."  Ukyo gave a nervous grin.  "I could call it in on your behalf, tell her she has to let go of the engagement."

                "Hmmm..." Ranma hmmm'd.  It _did_ have the advantage of a quick resolution.  On the other hand... "Wouldn't that kinda blow our cover, though?  I mean, why the heck should you be asking that if you weren't gonna have anymore to do with me?  Kinda seems to me like that's a real good way to get everyone we know camping out on the doorstop, thinking maybe you really DO know where I am."

                "Well, I didn't mean we should do it right away," Ukyo equivocated, inwardly cursing herself.  She could almost _feel_ her good sense and native intelligence draining away, departing in the wake of her vanished objectivity.  No wonder so many hare-brained schemes had been hatched and botched around here.  "Just something to keep up our sleeves unless we need it."

                "Yeah, I guess.  That sounds good.  Thanks, Ucchan."

                She licked dry lips.  "N- no problem."  Ukyo paused, trying to work her way through a sudden spasm of nerves.  Knowing that she couldn't just keep quiet about the things she'd learned this morning.  Understanding that she owed it to Ranma, to tell him how she still felt.  To admit that hope hadsprung back from the ashes, clamoring to life more strongly than ever.  No matter how scary it felt, she _had_ to do it.  She took a deep breath, then opened her mouth, ready to get it all out at once.

                "So, Ranma.  Where'd you go off to this morning, anyway?"

                Ukyo cursed her cowardly vocal chords.

                "Couple of different places, actually," he replied.  "First, I found a deserted island and tried to find out just what I could do with an ocean at my back."

                "How'd that go?"

                "Pretty darn good, if I do say so myself."  Ranma gave a satisfied grin.  "I bet I could take down either of the old geezers if I needed to.  At least once I get a bit more practice with some of the stronger tricks I came up with."

                "You mean Happosai and Cologne?" Ukyo hazarded a guess.  "You really think you could handle them now?"

                "Yeah, that's right."  Ranma remained oblivious to the worried look on his best friend's face.  "Then I--"

                "Ranma, I don't think that's a good idea," Ukyo interrupted.  "I mean, at least not the old woman."

                He blinked, surprised at the outburst.  "Why not?"

                "It's just... well, let me put it this way.  Early on after I got my powers, I thought I'd try and get some inside info from the Cat Café.  Just an idea of whether they were brewing any trouble."  Ukyo's brow wrinkled as the memory resurfaced.  "I... I felt something.  Don't know what it was... it wasn't Dark, but it was sure powerful.  Anyway, I didn't dare get close.  And this was in a DREAM, not even the real world!"

                Ranma turned that thought over in his mind for a little while.  "Probably some kind of defenses they've got set up there," he reasoned, remembering the strange nature of the Cat Café, the labyrinth underneath the building and the mystic urn that had been there before ever Cologne or Shampoo had set foot in the place.  "Okay, I'll be sure not to pick a fight with her on her home turf."  Which pretty much went without saying anyway... if such a battle were to occur, he'd want the Nerima canal, if not the Sea of Japan itself, right at hand.

                "Anyway," he continued, "I got in some good practice there.  That's where I was until I came back and told you about school."

                "School.  Right."  Ukyo let out an unladylike snort.  "I'm not saying I don't appreciate the thought, but still.  How could you possibly think I might've been ready to head on off to Furinkan after what happened this morning?"

                "Uh... Ucchan?  What _did_ happen this morning?" Ranma asked cautiously, even as the girl realized her mistake.

                "I... I..."  She spoke the words with difficulty, her mouth and throat suddenly bone dry.  The moisture was apparently being rerouted, in order to allow her to break out in a massive cold sweat.  Ukyo tried to find the words, tried as hard as she could.  But she just could not summon enough will to push past the fear.  Sighing in defeat, she said, "I'm still not ready to talk, sugar.  Sorry."

                His first impulse was to let it drop.  Since following those impulses had gotten him into trouble more often than not, Ranma wondered if he ought to push it.  He settled for asking, "Well... just tell me if it was something bad or not.  I mean, are you okay?"

                She smiled at him, a genuine expression containing such relief and thankfulness that Ranma couldn't help but feel he'd gotten it right.  "Yeah, Ranchan.  I'm okay.  It wasn't something bad... not really.  Just something big, and I haven't gotten a good grip on it yet."  Changing the subject, she asked, "So where'd you go after that?"

                "Oh, yeah."  Ranma gave a smile of his own.  "Figured I'd better deal with Ryoga before he really DID put someone six feet under.  So I 'ported on out to where he was, and laid it all on the line for him.  Told him what he'd almost done, cured his curse, and said I wasn't gonna get in his way with Akane anymore.  So that's one problem that I hope really is solved."  He took note of the way Ukyo's eyes were bulging out from their sockets.  "Uh... something wrong?"

                "You... you told him?!  Everything?!  All about our powers?!"

                "Course not," Ranma said, a little affronted at the question.  "What kinda idiot do you take me for, Ucchan?"

                "Then how'd you cure his curse?  Hand him a barrel full of normal water and tell him it was Nannichuan?!"  Ukyo blinked.  "Hey, wait a minute.  That actually would work, wouldn't it."

                "Would work, did work," Ranma confirmed.  "He did kinda wonder where I got the water, but as far as I'm concerned, P-chan can just live with that until I'm ready for everyone to find out the truth."

                "I guess he must have been pretty thrilled," the chef mused.  "At least now maybe he'll have the decency to quit attacking you all the time."

                "Heh.  You kiddin', Ucchan?  It held him for awhile, but I eventually had to kick his butt across the prairie all the way to Manitoba."  It had come as something of a relief, too, after the distasteful way he'd absolutely _crawled_ to Ryoga while the conversation had touched on Akane.  That bit of humiliation had been hard enough to swallow once; Ranma wasn't about to mention it again to Ukyo.  "Nah, I'm sure Pork-bun'll still be good for plenty of challenge matches."

                "But... but..."  Ukyo gaped, a rather helpless look in her eyes.  "Then what did you accomplish anyway?!"

                Ranma ticked the points off.  "Well... one, I found out that move he used on Kaede had already won three fights for him, without seriously hurting anyone.  So we know it was just an accident.  Two, now that HE knows, he won't risk using it again.  Three, I've cancelled any debt I owe him for him getting cursed.  Four, I've taken away just about every reason he's got to really get ticked at me.  I ain't stopping him from going after Akane, and I gave him the cure he wanted so much.  Only thing he's got left against me is that I'm a better martial artist."  The pigtailed teen shrugged.  "The way I figure it, that'll mean he keeps on challenging me.  We'll always be rivals.  But we've been allies too, when it was important, and that oughta come a lot more easily now."  Then he grinned.  "Truth be told, I'd kinda miss the fights."

                Ukyo threw her hands up into the air, turned, and walked over toward the grill, muttering something under her breath about machismo and testosterone.

***************

                Every so often, Noriko's attention would seem to wander.  Her part of the conversation would dwindle to the occasional "Hmmm" and "Really?"  Her gaze would drift, scanning restlessly through the other pedestrians on the road, tracking down side-alleys, or just sharpening to an interested stare as she regarded some utterly innocuous building.

                When her friend answered her question as to how her family was doing with the phrase "You don't say," Kaori finally noticed.  She cleared her throat loudly and peremptorily, dragging Noriko's attention back to the immediate present.

                "Sorry about that," she offered.  "Did I miss something?"

                Kaori waved her hand, dismissing as irrelevant any concern for Noriko's family's well-being.  "Never mind.  What's the matter, Noriko?"

                "Nothing's the _matter_, exactly..." the other girl replied.  "I'm just wondering when all the crazy stuff is going to start up."

                Kaori gave her friend a flat stare.  "I met you at the Nerima train station less than twenty minutes ago.  We haven't even walked a mile yet.  I know I've been complaining about the chaos in my letters to everyone, but it's not THAT bad.  You may not see anything bizarre the whole time you're here."

                Noriko attempted, with no real success, to conceal her disappointment.  "What about at Furinkan?" she queried.  "I'm only going to be here a couple of days.  It hasn't calmed down any since my cousin left, has it?  I'm going to eat lunch with you there, at the very least."  The girl absently fingered her long, black hair.  "Aren't we going to be fighting off lobsters and luaunatics and trained wild boars with electric razors tied to their snouts?"

                Once again, the Daikoku daughter reflected on her friend's grim, even morbid tastes.  Honestly, with the way the girl sought out thrills and intrigue, it was a wonder she'd made it this far without stumbling into any major catastrophes.  It was an even bigger wonder that her parents had let her go off by herself, even to visit a good friend who'd been missing her.

                However Noriko had managed to get their permission, she was glad--it was good to see her friend again.  Kaori certainly didn't like the idea of disappointing her.  Nonetheless, the brunette wasn't able to muster up any real regret as she answered, "I'm afraid not.  Things have really quieted down at the school lately.  I think the principal took something he couldn't bounce back from."  She went on to explain the latest rumor, that both Kuno children were sequestered in the deepest recesses of a secure psychiatric ward.  Kaori didn't know how much she trusted this story (the rumor mill was largely run by Nabiki Tendo, after all), but it would explain the quiet, subdued, dispirited way the Furinkan headmaster behaved these days.

                "That's just so wrong!" Noriko protested.  She had particularly been looking forward to watching one of Tatewaki's psychotic rants.  Dang it, why couldn't her parents have sent her to Furinkan back when she'd first asked?  Now it looked like it was too late!  Once again, she'd missed all the fun!  Sometimes, Noriko muttered under her breath, she couldn't help but feel as if someone else had cut in front of her when they were handing out luck, and grabbed the entire share that should've gone to her.

***************

                Ukyo glanced over at 'cousin Takeshi', wondering if she'd put too much pepper into the okonomiyaki he was carrying.  That had been quite a sneeze.

***************

                "Look on the bright side," Kaori said matter-of-factly.  "Your parents will probably be happier that Furinkan's calmed down."

                Noriko shrugged.  "Well, it's not like they know I'm here."  As Kaori's jaw dropped, she explained further.  "I left a note on my bed saying that I'd heard about a temple that supposedly had a magic sword that grants wishes, and I was going to go find it."

                Well, that explained how Noriko had handled the issue of permission.  For a moment, Kaori tried to fight off grim visions of what would happen if Noriko's parents ever found out where she'd really gone, and wanted to have words with their daughter's friend.  Presumably one of the reasons Noriko never got in real trouble was the fact that her father had the general build and disposition of a grizzly bear, and her mother was the former assassin he'd tamed.

                With some effort, she pushed the thought aside.  Considering some of the stunts her friend had pulled in the past, there was no reason for them not to believe the excuse she'd left.  It was exactly the sort of adventure that would call to Noriko, sending her off rushing blithely in where wise men would fear to tread, coming unscathed through situations that would have blown up in anyone else's face, and returning complaining bitterly of the way real excitement always stayed half a step ahead of her.

                "And now you're telling me this place isn't as exciting as everybody makes it out to be," Noriko complained.  She let out a long-suffering sigh, and forcibly turned her thoughts away from the injustice in her life.  "Well, never mind me and the way reality constantly lets me down.  How are you doing?"

                "I..."  Kaori echoed her friend's sigh.  "I've been better."

                "Lonely, sad, missing your friends... well, cheer up!  I'm here to chase those blues... away..." Noriko let the sentence die unfinished, as she took a good look at her friend's unguarded face.  This didn't look like some middling little depression to be shooed away with silliness.  Hesitantly, she said, "What is it, Kaori?  What's wrong?"

                As luck would have it (Noriko's luck, anyway), there was a vacant bench quite near the two of them.  Kaori headed over and sat down, followed closely by her friend.  The Daikoku daughter was silent for a time, marshalling her thoughts, trying to decide where to begin and how much of this she really wanted to talk about out in public.

                "I am lonely," she said at last.  "I do miss all you guys.  It's been months, Noriko!  Months since I came here, and since then I've only been able to get in a few quick visits with all my friends back home.  You're only going to be here a couple of days!"

                "I can stay longer," Noriko offered.  "My parents probably won't start putting my picture on the milk cartons until I've been gone for a week."

                Kaori didn't really hear her.  "And what do I have to show for it, huh?!  Nothing!" she cried.  Then, calming a bit, she opted for a bit more honesty.  "Well, not much, at least."  She'd now worked to the point of being able to jump half a story higher than her previous limit, which was nice, but not nearly nice enough.

                "What about Ranma?" Noriko asked hesitantly.  "How have things gone with him?"

                "Ranma.  Hah."  Kaori gave a bitter laugh.  "Can't ask the easy questions, can you Noriko?"

                "What's the cube root of eight?"  Noriko's attempt to interject some humor fell rather flat.  She gave a faltering grin, then said, "If you'd rather not talk about it..."

                "Thanks, that sounds good.  I think I _would _rather sit here and watch you slowly perish from curiosity," Kaori retorted.

                "Well, it would beat dying from boredom, anyway," Noriko muttered.

                That line actually did earn her a small chuckle.  It felt good to have her friend here, ready to offer her sympathy and commiseration and advice.  "Ranma," the brunette said contemplatively.  "I just don't know, Noriko.  I'm really not sure where we stand.

                "I've made some progress, at least.  We've spent time together, done fun stuff, I've helped him, he's helped me.  I've done my best to show him he's got something a whole lot better waiting for him than those scum at the Tendo dojo."

                Noriko heard the undisguised rancor in her friend's voice, and sorrowfully crossed the second place off her mental list of must-see Nerima chaos hot-spots.  If Kaori thought they were that bad, she wouldn't dishonor her friend by visiting them.  Not when the whole reason she was in Nerima in the first place was to cheer up Kaori.

                 Unaware that she'd just handed her friend yet another narrow escape, the Daikoku daughter continued.  "I just don't know.  Don't know where I stand.  That hurts."

                "Maybe you should talk to him then?" Noriko hazarded.  It felt more than a little strange to be offering that advice--Kaori was one of the most take-charge people she knew.  For her to be hesitating like this... well, Noriko wasn't quite positive yet what it meant, but whatever it was, it was big.  "C'mon, you can do it.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?  Just think of him like one of the guys back at the old school."

                Kaori made a face.  "Would that be the ones who'd get down on their knees just to ask me for the time of day?  Or the ones who resent it that a mere girl can wipe the floor with them?"

                "Well, which one is he more like?"

                "Neither of the above.  That's... he's... Ranma's just in a class by himself.  He is shy, sometimes, and not very sure of himself.  Tries to cover it up, but I know I've seen it.  But he'd never crawl like those wimps."  Kaori gave an amused sniff.  "As to the other ones, HE can wipe the floor with ME."

                And that didn't bother her friend?  "You really do like him, don't you."

                "Yes," Kaori said quietly, looking down at her shoes.  "I really do.

                "At first I didn't know whether I would, you know.  When I came here, it was about what I needed to do--I needed to redeem our honor, I needed to rescue him, to get him away from the abuse he was suffering under.  Needed to DO these things.  But now... more and more, I just want to spend time with him.  To talk to him.  To get his sympathy after I had a hard fight."  Kaori paused, then said simply, "To be with him."

                "Can't you tell him that?"  Noriko couldn't imagine ANY guy not melting upon hearing such a romantic declaration from such a wonderful, talented, beautiful girl as her friend.  Of course, at sixteen years old, Noriko had yet to really come to grips with the difference between the way women's and men's brains work.

                "No, I can't!"  Kaori's frustrated cry shook the heavens, or at least gave her friend a nasty shock.  "He finally did leave the Tendos behind.  Left them for good, or at least that's what I hope.  Took his pack, brushed their dirt off his kung-fu slippers, and made a break for it.  And he DIDN'T come to me!"

                Noriko felt an icy tremor of fear for her friend worm its way up her gut toward her chest.  "Where did he go?" she asked hesitantly.  "Was there someone else?"

                "I don't know.  There's several people he _could_ have gone to," Kaori explained.  "But he didn't.  He's just gone, disappeared, vanished into thin air.  I don't know where he is or what he's up to.  Don't know whether he left for good or just took a training trip to clear his head.  Don't know when, or if, he'll be back.  And it hurts," she said quietly.  "The not knowing.  It hurts that he didn't come to me, even if it was just to say goodbye."

                "I'm sorry," Noriko murmured, patting her friend sympathetically on the back.  Privately she decided that if this Ranma didn't start acting a little more like a proper fiancé to Kaori, she might have to do something about it.  'Accidentally' letting slip to her parents that Ranma Saotome was the one who'd gotten her that forged passport and ticket to Iran last year... that could work.

***************

                Nabiki inhaled, taking a long, appreciative sniff.  Kasumi's cooking shouldn't smell that good, she thought ruefully, not when she was this hungry and there yet remained forty-five minutes until dinner would be ready.

                She looked down at the manga in her hands, trying to lose herself in the story.  After a few minutes, she gave this up as a lost cause.  She needed something a lot more engrossing than that to take her mind off what was happening in the kitchen.  Nabiki looked around the living room, searching for inspiration.

                The middle Tendo wasn't the only one present; Akane was there as well, seated some little distance away from Nabiki, apparently engrossed in the television.  At least, she was looking in its general direction and clearly wasn't paying attention to anything else going on around her.

                However, given that the program currently on was a horror show, and Akane wasn't showing any signs of the muted terror she usually wore when watching such fare, Nabiki concluded that her little sister wasn't really paying the program any attention either.  She leaned to the side, getting a better view of Akane's profile.  Yep, that clinched it--her face wore an expression about as closed as ever it got, but Nabiki was still able to see a brooding unhappiness behind it.

                THIS should serve as plenty of a distraction, Nabiki decided.  She got up, fetched the remote, wandered back to her seat, picked her manga up again, and idly pressed one button on the television control, doubling the volume in an instant.

                Akane nearly jumped out of her skin as a terrifying shriek echoed through the room.  Her eyes darted from corner to corner, trying to find the source of the sound, realizing a moment later that it had come from the television.  She blanched as she finally noticed just what sort of program she'd been staring at.  That scream had been the last protest the girl in the negligee would ever make; the vampire's fangs were already in her neck, and she hung limp in his grasp as the life drained from her.  The youngest Tendo shuddered, and quickly lunged across the room to turn off the set.

                She took a few deep breaths, getting her heartrate back to a more pleasant pace, then glanced sourly over at Nabiki.  "What was that for?"

                Nabiki looked up, giving her sister an oh-so-innocent stare.  "What was what for?"

                "Why'd you turn it up so loud?!"

                "I didn't.  I hit the Mute button.  I didn't think you were really watching it, and the noise was bothering me," Nabiki explained.

                Akane gave her a blank stare.  Why on earth would Nabiki say something that dumb?  "No, you didn't," she protested, too confused to be irritated at the moment.  "You turned it way up!"

                "Excuse me?"  Nabiki arched an eyebrow.  "I don't hear any noise coming from the TV.  Do you?"

                "Nabiiikiiiii..." Akane growled, beginning to suspect some fun was being had at her expense.

                "Well, what else would you call it?  I hit the button, and the television went silent."

                "That's just because I turned it OFF!"

                "Don't be ridiculous, Akane.  The facts are totally on my side here," Nabiki said airily.  "I didn't make a mistake.  You know it, I know it, stop trying to tell me something we both know isn't right."

                Akane just growled and turned, preparing to stomp off to her room.

                Before she had taken the first step, Nabiki spoke again.  And this time, every hint of teasing mischief was gone from her voice.  The tone alone stopped Akane and held her in her tracks, even before the meaning of Nabiki's words registered.

                "The laws of the Amazon tribe are as follows."  Nabiki's voice cracked like a whip, and stung nearly as badly.  "In the event that an Amazon is defeated by a female outsider, the Amazon must give the Kiss of Death and kill without delay."

                Slowly, Akane turned back around, to find her sister giving her an intense stare.  "What did you say, Nabiki?" she asked, the words coming with a curious breathless quality, as if she couldn't quite believe what she had heard.

                "You heard me," Nabiki retorted coldly.  She stood up, looking Akane in the eye.  "It's time to quit sulking, Akane."

                "SULKING?!"

                "What else do you call it?  'That Ranma, he's such a jerk!  He wouldn't let me fight Shampoo, even though she said this time she'd be ready to seriously hurt me!  Wouldn't let me pull off a cheap win that would REALLY make her mad!  Wouldn't let me beat her in front of an Amazon elder, so she HAD to follow up on her law afterward!  Wouldn't let me STICK MY DAMNED HEAD INTO A LION'S MOUTH!!' "  Somewhere in there, Nabiki's control had slipped.  She hadn't meant to take the 'distraction' this far, but suddenly she couldn't hold back any longer.  It was time and past to pound some sense into her younger sister's skull.  "DAMN IT, AKANE, HE DID THE ONLY THING HE _COULD_ DO!"

                "Since when do you care?!" Akane demanded, her face contorting.  "Are you gonna take his side over mine TOO, Nabiki?!  I know everybody else does, but I thought my family would stick by me, at least..."

                The sheer cluelessness and selective hearing inherent in that response literally took Nabiki's breath away.  Several seconds passed before she could find will and words to reply.  "Are you even listening to me?  OR to yourself?!  I was worried about YOU!"

                "Then leave me alone!  Stop yelling at me!  Stop bringing this back up!" Akane pleaded.

                "No.  This has gone on long enough.  I'm not letting you keep on hiding your head in the sand, Akane."  Nabiki pinned Akane with the strongest stare she could muster, attempting through sheer force of will to keep her sister here, listening, instead of turning away again in denial.  "Ranma did what he needed to do.  That's a fact, and you need to face it."

                "You don't have any right to tell me that!  You weren't even there, Nabiki!  You don't know what happened.  You can't tell me Ranma was right and I was wrong and that's the end of it!"

                "Wrong, wrong, wrong... and wrong.  I was there, little sister.  I left the house while you were still arguing with Daddy.  I got to the Cat Café even before you did."

                "Yeah, I'm sure, just like you pressed the 'mute' button," Akane countered.

                Without another word, Nabiki turned, and marched over to the cabinet that stored the videotapes.  She rummaged in it for a second, eventually removing a plain, unmarked tape.  She popped this into the VCR, switched the television back on, and turned to give her sister an expectant look.

                Akane stared, her face growing paler than it had during the horror movie.  The screen now was showing a scene that (to her, at least) was even worse.  Judging from the angle, Nabiki must have been on a nearby balcony, scrunched down low to give her a closer shot.  The bird's eye view was all too clear, showing a Chinese girl with long purple hair pummeling a post with kicks.  Just for a fraction of an instant, the girl paused, her eyes tracking off down the alley.  Akane caught herself on the very verge of darting forward and smashing the TV, to wipe away the look of amused contempt that had flitted across the Amazon's face.

                She settled for darting forward and turning the set off.  "Fine, Nabiki," she said bitterly, "you were there.  One more person to watch me getting treated like I'm worthless.  Now we've even got a videotape, to keep the memory alive."

                "The videotape was to be used as evidence, if Shampoo really DID try to hurt you," Nabiki retorted.  "Anyway, now you know I know what I'm talking about."

                "Fine.  Can I go now?"

                "No, you can't!" Nabiki snapped.  "Not yet!  You threw Ranma out on his butt for what he did, and you've been moping and sulking ever since.  I think it's time to grow up and admit you were wrong, Akane!"

                "Nabiki.  Please," Akane said, hating the catch in her voice.  "Please just leave me alone.  Why are you doing this to me anyway?"

                For a long moment the middle Tendo held tense, as if unsure how to respond... and then, ever so slightly, she relaxed.  In tones of frustration rather than outright censure, Nabiki replied, "Because you made a mistake.  A big one.  A bad one.  And you haven't even admitted it.  Sis, learning from your mistakes so you don't make them again is the single most important part of growing up.  And it kills me to see you don't seem willing to do that."

                "Well, excuse me for not being as smart as you, Nabiki!"  Akane had held out quite a long time, but the tears were beginning to fall now.  "Maybe sometimes it's HARD to learn a lesson!  It's hard...  And, and all you can do is th- throw Ranma back in my f- face..."

                The middle Tendo mentally castigated herself for pushing this too far.  Tentatively she reached out and put one hand on Akane's shoulder.  "Listen, Akane," she said, as kindly as she could.  "This isn't about Ranma, not really.  It's about you and your choices.  That's all I was trying to say."

                Akane sniffled a few more times, and blinked away several more tears, but managed to limit it to that.  "Then why...?"

                Nabiki gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze, then let go.  "I'm sorry, little sister.  I've already said too much.  Just... just think about things for yourself, okay?"

                The youngest Tendo nodded, turned, and walked away.  '_That's what I've been TRYING to do, Nabiki..._' she thought with a sort of grumbling sadness.

***************

                "I'm proud of you, Nabiki."

                The middle Tendo jumped, and spun around.  She'd given Akane time to get upstairs and sequester herself in her room, and had been about to head off toward her own.  Her snack stash was currently empty, but hopefully at least in there the smell of the cooking dinner would be less distracting.

                However, Kasumi apparently had other ideas.  The eldest Tendo daughter stood in the doorway of the kitchen, looking toward her younger sister with a careworn smile.  She turned, gestured for Nabiki to follow her, and headed back into the kitchen.  A little reluctantly, Nabiki followed, silently determining to grab a quick early bite or five when Kasumi wasn't looking.

                Once they were safe in her sanctum sanctorum, Kasumi spoke again, louder than her original soft call.  "Thank you, Nabiki.  I really think little sister needed to hear that."  And it was nice to see someone other than herself taking a bit of the burden of responsibility and guidance onto their shoulders.

                "Do you think she paid any attention at all?" Nabiki asked dubiously.  "I mean, besides just enough to put on her 'poor little me' act again?"

                "I hope so," Kasumi said with a sigh.  After a pause, she continued, changing the subject a little.  "Have... have you heard anything more about where Ranma might be?"

                "Nope.  Nothing," Nabiki said, grimacing sourly.  On seeing the disappointed look her sister didn't even try to hide, she asked, "You miss him that much, Kasumi?"

                "It's... well... the house just doesn't seem right without him around," Kasumi explained.  "Can't you feel it too?  It's like some of the life has gone, like a candle blown out when we still need its light."

                "Don't let Akane hear you say that," Nabiki said.

                Kasumi frowned.  "Akane is a very sweet girl, but you hit the nail right on the head when you were talking to her.  She still acts very much like a child.  We can't afford to let her make these kinds of decisions for us.  As soon as you find Ranma again, I'm going to tell him it's all right to come back.  If Akane has a problem with that, I'll speak to her and make her see reason."

                "Better you than me, Sis.  Better you than Daddy, too," Nabiki said dryly.  "I'm sure he'd be VERY grateful to you if you handled this for him."

                In the hallway outside, from which position he'd caught most of the short conversation,  Soun nodded his head in involuntary agreement.  It was looking more and more like Genma's idea had been a good one...

***************

                With a muted swoosh of displaced air, Ranma slipped in through the window.  It was rather disconcerting to find Ukyo waiting for him beyond it; Furinkan's last class had only just ended, and she should still be on her way back, not already here.  And waiting in his bedroom like this... well, Ranma was just glad she'd been sitting down a good ways away from the window.  As usual he'd traveled back from the canal at top speed, to minimize the chances of being observed by anyone in the neighborhood, and if she'd been situated five feet to her right there would have been a rather embarrassing collision.  "Yo, Ucchan.  Back kinda early from Furinkan, aren't ya?"

                "I cut out early."

                "What for?  Want to get a head start on opening the restaurant this afternoon?"

                "Nah."  Ukyo grimaced, theatrically massaging one shoulder.  "I got tired of teachers sending me out to the hall for bucket duty, just because I wasn't paying attention.  Guess I wasn't ready to go back today after all."

                So she still wasn't really recovered from whatever had shocked her the previous morning.  Ranma tried to think of a subtle way to bring the question back up.

                Before he could come up with anything, Ukyo spoke again.  "So what've you been up to today?"

                He shrugged.  "Training... working on mixing my powers in with Anything Goes... it's coming along pretty good, if I do say so myself."

                '_And you could have still been out there... doing what you wanted to do... except it's time for the restaurant to open..._'  Ukyo turned that thought over in her head for a few moments, before taking a deep breath.  Now more than ever, she was convinced she needed to do this.  "Ranma... I think we need to talk."

                The pigtailed boy tensed, ever so slightly.  "About what?"

                "It's just... this..."  She made a vague gesture, attempting with one wave of the hand to indicate the small size of the room she'd stuck him with, and the fact that he'd just cut short on a session of doing what he wanted to do to come back here and let her surround him with the illusion of a waiter's uniform.  "I should have said this awhile back, and I'm sorry I waited this long."

                The chef braced herself.  She'd come up with this as a way to ease into talking about just why'd she'd reacted as she did after learning the truth of her powers--or to save herself some awkwardness by proving that it wouldn't be necessary.  How Ranma reacted to this next offer... well, it would decide either the next step, or the last one.  This wasn't as scary as just bursting out with a full-fledged confession would have been, but it was plenty difficult nonetheless.  However, it had to be done, so Ukyo scraped together all her courage and said, "I... I never really asked you.  What you wanted.  And, and the one time you said something about getting out on your own, I shot you down."

                Ranma made a tiny noise, perhaps in protest, perhaps wanting to say something.  She overrode him without really noticing.  "I mean, I basically just grabbed you and brought you here when you were really down on your luck, when you had nowhere else to go... stuck you in this crowded little restaurant, where we have to keep ducking and covering and hoping nobody's gonna find out...  I just... I mean, I never asked.  But I'm telling you now.  If you want to leave, it's okay."

                Silence fell.  Ukyo was trembling, and her eyes were tightly shut as she waited for him to respond, one way or another.

                When Ranma's answer finally came, his voice sounded as distant as sakura blossoms settling on Mount Fuji.  "Maybe you got a point, Ukyo," he said.  "Guess I can pretty much go anywhere I want, now.  No need to stay here, right?"

                She swore she felt her heart contract, becoming a cold lifeless lump in her breast.  '_Damn it, it should not hurt this much,_' Ukyo thought bitterly.  She'd already gone through this once, after all.  This final confirmation should not have brought so much pain.  Reality apparently didn't agree; the agony was fresh, sharp, driving her toward another breakdown.  A breakdown that she absolutely would NOT inflict on Ranma.  With a mental twist, Ukyo engaged her powers, sucking away all the pain, the heartache, the despair... all the darkness that had wanted to choke her.

                With a shock, her eyes flew open.  With her own distractions out of the way, something was suddenly clear.  Something that her anxiety had completely kept her from noticing before.  "Hold it, Ranma," she said in a voice of steel.

                Ranma froze in the act of slipping a shirt into his backpack.  He held motionless for a moment, then turned around.  "What?"  His face was expressionless, as controlled as his voice.

                To Ukyo, that mask was worthless.  "How come you're hurting there?"

                "Don't know what you're talking about," he muttered, suddenly not meeting her gaze.

                "Bullshit!  In case you've forgotten, I can sense ANY kind of darkness.  And right now, YOU are feeling hurt... betrayed... there's even some fear there?!"  Ukyo scooted forward close enough to get right in his face, and gave him a glare.  "What the hell's going on here, you jackass?!  When I force myself through something like that to try and help you, you aren't supposed to take it like this!"

                "Whaddaya mean, help me?!" he demanded.  "By kicking me out?!  Look, you don't want me here, fine.  I'll go.  Thanks for all you've done for me, Ukyo, you got me back on track and I guess there's no good reason to stick around imposin' on you any more."

                "STOP RIGHT THERE!!  That is NOT what I said!"  Ukyo paused, wondering whether she ought to eliminate the pain Ranma was feeling, so that maybe the idiot could start thinking straight again.  Deciding to hold off a little longer, she continued, "I told you you could go if _YOU _wanted to.  How'd you get me WANTING you to go out of that?!"

                "Sure sounded like that was what you were getting at," Ranma grumbled.  Again, though the mask didn't do a very good job of hiding his actual feelings--Ukyo could feel the darkness beginning to lift.

                "Well, someone needs to get his hearing checked then," she retorted.  "Ranma honey, the reason I brought this up is because I hadn't asked you what you wanted!"

                "You didn't _ask_ this time either," Ranma pointed out.

                "I believe the question was kind of implied, sugar, when I said you could leave if you wanted to."  Ukyo paused, then let out a sigh.  "But you're right.  I guess I did kind of blow this, if you misunderstood me that badly.  So let me set the record straight.  No, I wasn't trying to get rid of you.  I like having you here, Ranma.  I'd never ask you to leave, AND I'd never WANT to ask you to leave.

                "So what do you want?"

                For a moment, Ranma looked like he was trying to decide what to say in response... then he gave her a cocky grin (it was a good bit weaker than usual, but it was real), turned away from her and began removing the stuff he'd packed.  Behind his back, Ukyo pulled down one eyelid and stuck out her tongue.

                She was looking innocent again when he turned back around, though.  "Remember, sugar, this is as good as saying you don't mind me working you into the ground in the afternoons and evenings."

                Ranma snorted.  "As if that measly little bit of work is gonna affect me.  Ucchan, you're talking to a guy who worked as a waitress in the Cat Café.  Ain't NOTHING you could do that'd come even close to being as hard on me as that was."

                "Except kick you out," Ukyo said softly.  He didn't flinch, but she felt a spike of pain anyway.  "Tell me something, Ranma.  You've spent so much time traveling, with nobody but Genma."  Ukyo didn't need to actually _say_ "and no company at all would have been better than that", her tone did it for her.  "Why would the thought of leaving here hurt you so much?"

                What she was hoping he would say was that it was the thought of leaving _her _that had hurt.  On some level, Ukyo realized this was unlikely, but hope (one emotion that she couldn't do much about without actually projecting despair) was interfering a bit with her ability to remain rationally detached.

                Ranma hesitated a long time.  This wasn't going to be easy to say... but he figured he probably owed it to her.  Besides, he and Ucchan were already keeping plenty of each other's secrets; it wasn't like she was gonna blab about this to anybody else.  "It's just... that's just it," he said at last.  "I _have_ spent so much of my life without other people around who cared about me.  Just Pop, and he sure don't seem like he's too interested in tracking me down now."  He gulped.  "I just don't want to be alone, Ucchan."

                Another long moment of silence, as Ukyo turned his words over in her mind.  It felt rather like she'd just been handed an important piece of a puzzle, and was now twisting it around, moving through the last few contortions prior to fitting it into place...  and revealing something that had been obscured for too long.  "Is that why you did what you did with Shampoo, do you think?  I mean, that stuff that the Dark threw in my face, the time when you were going chasing after her in that tux."

                Ranma considered this.  "Maybe.  Could be.  I dunno."  He shrugged.  "That was prob'ly part of it, at least.

                "But I can tell you for sure, it's why I cared for Akane as much as I did."  The Saotome heir let out a long, ragged sigh.  "Ain't something I'm too proud of, to tell ya the truth.  I get to look back over all my life an' the lives of those around me, and one of the biggest things I have to face is I was lying to myself.  I did care about Akane, a lot more than I ever let on.  But do you know why?"

                "Because she was always there?"

                "Bingo.  She was there.  Only things that looked like taking her away, it was all stuff that it was my duty as a martial artist to fight anyway.  Kirin... Toma..."  Ranma grimaced.  "I got into some of my best fights over her.  All that stuff... it made it easy to forget about the bad times, you know?"

                "So that's how it was, huh?" Ukyo asked sympathetically.  Truth be told, she had halfway suspected it at times, but never had she ascribed THIS much importance to the issue.  When those suspicions had arisen, she'd usually dismissed them with the thought that spending so much time around Akane would eventually cause Ranma to tire of her abuse and leave by his own choice.  Here, now, hearing him spell it out for her... just how MUCH it had meant to him, to always have someone there, someone who he knew wasn't going anywhere, someone he knew he wouldn't be taken away from...  Ukyo suspected that if she wasn't still shielding herself from dark emotions, she'd be feeling an intense desire to go pound one Akane Tendo flatter than an okonomiyaki.  "I wondered, sometimes."

                "Well, now you know."  Ranma heaved another sigh.  "Let me tell you something, Ucchan.  I know I didn't suffer anything like what you did, when I got my Water power-up, but it wasn't much fun to see all the mistakes I've made."  His voice dropping to a near-whisper, he said, "And I'm thinking now that one of the biggest was the way I remembered all the good times with Akane, and forgot all the bad.  Seein' the whole thing spread out before me like that... all those things I'd forgotten, it hit really hard."

                "You aren't going back to her, are you.  Not ever."  Ukyo even managed to say that without a hint of gloating triumph.

                "No way.  I wouldn't mind saving Akane's butt if she gets kidnapped by another prince or something, but that's all I'm up for."

                "If you're really, really sure of that--"

                "Oh, yeah."

                "Then maybe you ought to go tell that to Mr. Tendo?  Lay it out for him that you're not going to go along with your idiot father's stupid plans?"

                Ranma shrugged.  "Way I figure it, the Tendos are the last people I oughta be worrying about.  If I _did_ do that, Nabiki'd have the news all over Nerima the very next day that I was in town.  So no, I think I'll save them for later."

                "You could write a letter," Ukyo offered.  "Post it from Hokkaido or something."

                He blinked.  "Now there's an idea.  Thanks, Ucchan."

                "You're welcome."

                "So what was the deal yesterday morning, anyway?"

                Ranma had asked the question so casually that Ukyo almost answered without even thinking.  She caught herself on the very verge.  "Where'd that come from all of a sudden?!"

                "Eh, just curious.  You know, you just dragged something pretty heavy out of me a few minutes ago..."

                "Blackmailer.  No, wait, that's not the word," she corrected herself.  "Ummm... manipulator?"

                "Hey, do I LOOK like Nabiki?!" Ranma asked indignantly.

                Ukyo reached out and playfully bounced the back of her hand off his chest.  "I think Nabiki'd have a pretty bad day if she woke up with a build like this, so, no."

                "Hmmm... that'd be kinda funny," Ranma mused, lost in thought.  "Maybe not Nabiki, but next time someone like Pantyhose gives me grief, I could skip out to Jusenkyo, get water from one of the real debilitating springs, and douse 'em.  Wouldn't make it permanent or nothing, just give 'em a good lesson."

                "Hey, you'd probably get the same effect by dumping a hundred gallons of ordinary water on whoever," the chef said.  "Didn't you tell me Ryoga's curse felt really, really wrong to you somehow?"  Given that fact, she didn't much care for the thought of him putting himself in harm's way at the very source of all that wrongness.

                "Yeah, I guess.  So why DID you freak out when you read that scroll, Ucchan?"

                Ukyo rolled her eyes at his persistence, and then paused, trying to decide how to respond.  Her reluctance to answer his question was not due to fear; she was still blocking that, and frankly expected to continue doing this for quite some time.  No, she was simply unsure as to whether this was really the time to explain.  After all, they'd just come out of a long, important discussion, when Ranma had laid something bare for her that hadn't been easy at all.  Just because the jackass was pushing now, didn't mean he was ready to have something this important dropped on him so soon after that...

                At last she said, "Ranma, I think I've already hinted that this is big.  I don't think now is the right time to talk about it.  I mean, less than twenty minutes ago you were putting stuff in your pack cause you thought I wanted you to leave.  I'd rather give us both some time to cool down and relax before I talk about this.  So why don't you go do some more training or something else that you'll enjoy, and I'll tell you tonight."

                The pigtailed boy allowed himself rather a peculiar grimace, then vanished.  Ukyo thought back over her last few words.  "You know, that might not have been the best way to set his mind at ease," she allowed.  "Oh, well."

***************

                "Ranma, I'm guessing you must have read my scrolls by now, right?  I mean, the ones that talk about Darkness, and how lies are a big part of it..."  Ukyo broke off.  "No, that's no good.  I don't want him thinking I'd ever lie to him.  Umm... Ranma, you read the scroll and how it talked about Darkness, right?  How it lies to you... ahem, _how it lied to me_..."  The chef fell silent again, before letting out a long, frustrated sigh.  "This sucks!" she complained.  "I'm NOT nervous.  I'm NOT afraid.  Why the heck can't I string ten coherent sentences together?!"

                The universe didn't answer.  Perhaps it was deriving too much amusement from watching her stumble her way through an attempt to rehearse her explanation, and didn't want the spectacle to end.  Ukyo checked the time--she had actually spent _forty-five minutes_ on these rambling, halfway-coherent trial runs!  She hadn't specified an exact time to talk to Ranma tonight, but she didn't expect him to stay away too much longer.  With a curious sense that she _ought_ to be panicking, if only she wasn't feeding her fear to the Dark, Ukyo began yet another attempt to work out a decent, convincing, nonthreatening way to tell Ranma she was still hoping to be with him.  Praying that she could somehow work out all the right words in time.  It was nearly a quarter to six now--as curious as Ranma had been about this, surely he wouldn't wait much longer.

***************

                Only because she was holding motionless herself, her senses straining for any hint of his arrival, did Ukyo hear Ranma's return.  There--the whisper of his entry through the window.  There--the slight creak of that annoying patch of flooring just outside his door.  There--a series of near-soundless footfalls she felt rather than heard, as he came slowly and quietly down the stairs.  He entered the main room of the restaurant, and met Ukyo's gaze.

                She held that pose for a long silent moment, then turned to stare at the clock that read 11:30.

                "Uh, you did mean that you weren't gonna open the restaurant today, when you told me to take off for the afternoon.  Right?" Ranma asked hopefully.

                "Actually, yes.  I did mean that.  I _thought_ you were dying of curiosity to ask me something?"  Ukyo had eventually decided to allow herself at least a little irritation.  Love, hope, and all that mushy stuff notwithstanding, she wasn't about to turn herself into a doormat.  "What the heck took you so long, you jackass?!"

                He let out a long, quiet sigh.  "I... I had to do some thinking of my own.  Lot on my mind, you know?"

                Ukyo blinked.  "Um... no?"  She hastened to qualify.  "I mean, I know you've still got some pretty tangled problems sitting in front of you, Ranma honey, but I don't see any one thing that would've gotten you deep in thought this particular afternoon.  Was it something from our talk earlier?"

                "Not really.  Well, a little, but that came after."  Ranma cleared his throat nervously.  "Um... well... I didn't spend the whole time thinking.  Did what you said, actually, spent the first few hours training.  The thinking stuff over... that kinda came later..."

                "Do you want to talk about it?"

                "I think we'd better."  The Saotome heir gulped a couple of times, then walked over to the sink.  He opened the faucet long enough to collect sufficient water for a scrying puddle, headed back to where Ukyo was seated at the long counter, and spread the water out before her.  "I didn't actually mean to keep this secret or nothing, Ucchan.  It just didn't come up before now."  The waters shifted, discarding the vision of the countertop beneath them, focusing instead on a rock concert where hundreds of screaming teens competed with the band's loudspeakers to see who could generate the most volume.

                Ukyo blinked, leaning her head down toward the water.  "No way... I can actually hear them!  It's real faint, but it's there!  I thought you could just show images?"

                "Nope.  Sounds get conducted too, just real, real quiet.  But no matter how quiet it is, it's clear to me.  Cause the words passed through the water, I guess."

                The chef snorted, glancing down at the scene still pictured below her.  "Yeah, right, like there's any words there.  Just a bunch of people yelling their fool heads off."

                "Ummm..."  Ranma took several precautionary steps back.  "I was kinda talking about... other times.  Other words.  Like..." a few more steps, without even realizing he'd done it, "...late this afternoon, when I was checking here to see if it was okay to come back?"  His voice ended on a note that wouldn't have sounded too inappropriate in his late, unlamented cursed form.

                From curiosity through blank noncomprehension to refusal to understand.  Then, the slow dawn of realization, forcing its way through the ignorance she tried to cling to.  Finally, the full-blown horror of the situation, standing before her as naked truth.

                Ranma took the last few steps backward that brought him up against a wall.  Every time he'd seen Ukyo get embarrassed beyond a certain point, he'd gotten reflexively pounded.  Judging from the look of things now, well, it was looking like a good thing that Water empowerment included super healing.

                His expectations would go unfulfilled, though.  Ukyo was literally frozen, caught in the grip of an emotion that was just too strong to be expressed through _any_ action.  All she could do was sit there in an incoherent stupor, radiating nearly enough heat to cook an okonomiyaki off her own skin.  Embarrassment was a few shades too far away from true Darkness for her to be able to shred it, not that she was capable of that kind of clarity of thought anyway at the moment.

                After a few minutes of silence had passed, Ranma wondered whether he ought to go back over there and wave his hand in front of Ukyo's eyes or something.  He decided to play it safe, resorting to words to try to break her from her stupor.  "Didn't mean to spy on you or nothin', Ucchan.  It's just... I checked in at just the right moment to hear something pretty damn big.  By the time it occurred to me that I probably shouldn't be doing this, I'd already heard the whole thing."  Ranma opted not to mention that that had been after half an hour of listening, and the conviction that he ought to quit eavesdropping had only come after he was certain he'd heard all the important stuff.

                "Y- you heard?" Ukyo squeaked, regaining a tiny bit of conscious motor control.

                "Yeah.  That's... that's why I took so long getting back.  Had to think about all that stuff."

                Ukyo licked dry lips, and closed her eyes.  "What'd you... decide?"

                "It's... I mean, there's..."  Ranma scrabbled desperately for his own prerehearsed speech, grasping only bits and pieces of it.  "There's still so much trying to come crushing down on me, Ukyo.  I mean... all the engagements... all my old man's broken promises... I'm sick and tired of being told what to do, ain't gonna let those decisions be made for me anymore... I mean, what I'm trying to say here is, it's my life, and I'm not gonna let other people tell me how I have to live it..."

                She let out a long, quivering sigh.  "I... I understand, Ranma."

                "No, I, I don't think you do.  Lemme finish, okay?"  It was Ranma's turn to try and get some moisture in his mouth.  "I... I'm breaking all the engagements, Ucchan.  Or not really breaking them, ending them.  That ain't what I want now anyway, and, and you know that.  I mean, we talked about it some, that first day after you let me come here.  I'm not ready for that kind of stuff.  But...

                "But it's not as scary as it was, you know?"  And now that he was this far along in the conversation, the fear of what he was saying was lessening too.  He dared to step forward away from the wall, closing half the distance between himself and his best friend.  "When I was getting my own power, I saw so much stuff, Ucchan.  My whole life, pieces of other people's where they'd touched me or I'd touched them.  Even a few bits from people's lives who I'd never met, but who had a big impact on other people I had.  All... all that stuff I saw, so much life, so many people who were happy, or sad, some who had somebody to love, some who were all alone..."  He took a deep breath.  "I'm still not ready yet, but it ain't nearly as scary as it was before.

                "And I got to thinking about all that this afternoon, and on into the night... and then it hit me.  Something so simple, I almost missed it.  Like you said, it was from what we talked about today.  Reason why my feelings for Akane lasted so long.  She was always there, I was always with her.  I knew that, _knew_ what it had meant for me--what it had done to me.  And when you asked me if I wanted to leave, I still said I'd rather stay."

                "Ranma..." Ukyo made a few false starts, before managing to get the next few words out.  "Are you saying...?"

                "I... I don't want a fiancée right now, Ukyo.  It ain't the right time, and when it is it'll be MY choice.  Not because of something my old man did or said.  I don't... I'm not ready for a fiancée..." he paused, determined that his voice wouldn't shake when he said these next words, "...but I think I'd kind of like to have a girlfriend."

                "I, I'd like that too," she half-whispered.  Then she looked up, met his eyes, smiled shakily.  "Th- that was an offer, just s- so you know."

                "I..." he took a deep breath.  "I thought it was you accepting the one I made, Ucchan."

                "That, that too."  Ukyo's smile shone through the dimness of the restaurant.  Her eyes were shining too, and she raised one trembling hand and wiped at them.  "Count on it, Ranchan.  I t- told you already... I'll never leave unless you ask me to go."

***************

                  The minutes ticked by, and Kaede's anticipation wound itself ever tighter.  She diverted as much attention as she could to the task of alternately tightening and then loosening various muscle groups, which would at least keep her physically relaxed.  It didn't do much for her mental tension, though; that particular exercise was one she'd known for nearly a decade, and it just didn't take too much thought to perform anymore.

                Thus leaving her mind free for other, weightier concerns.

                With some effort, she refrained from grinding her teeth together.  Yesterday she had made another attempt to get in touch with Ranma.  She had left late in the morning, knowing that this would mean she'd get to the Tendo dojo while her fiancé still had several hours to spend at school.  By this time, Kaede considered the thought of waiting those hours before he returned to be a small price to pay.  They weren't going to put her off THIS time, she'd sworn to herself.

                Nor had they tried, or rather, Kasumi hadn't tried.  She had been the one to answer the door, and when she'd heard Kaede's request to wait here for Ranma, the Tendo homemaker had told her quite a lot of things she didn't want to hear.  Kaede hadn't wanted to believe it, had desperately tried not to believe it, but there was just something about the older girl that made it impossible to think she might be lying.

                She'd stayed at the Tendo place for nearly half an hour after that, waiting grimly for Akane to come back.  It had been a while since the last time she'd defeated the heir to a dojo, after all.  And although she'd never actually taken a sign and destroyed it after her victory, well, there had to be a first time for everything.

                Fortunately for what was left of the harmony of the Tendo household, Kaede eventually cooled off enough to realize that if she did do this, the self-disgust she'd feel afterward would far outweigh whatever temporary satisfaction she would have gotten.  Not to mention what her father would say if he learned she had deliberately thrashed someone so far below her and shattered her school.  No, that wasn't a good idea at all, Kaede had eventually realized, better to find some other outlet to serve as a channel for her anger.  Which had brought her here, now, standing in this vacant lot, and waiting.

                And then the relative quiet of the morning air was broken.  The bright, cheerful jingling of a bicycle bell sounded, coming rather incongruously from some ninety feet above her.  Kaede whipped around and looked up, disbelief pushing aside determination.  Shampoo had just rocketed into the sky, apparently from the top of a five-story building.  The Japanese girl watched, dumbfounded, as the Amazon shot through the air, angling down and forward, in a path that looked like it would slam her into the face of another building.  However, she twisted at the last second, bringing just the wheels of the bike in line with the wall and riding straight down it.  When she was just one story away from splattering against the ground, she turned and pulled up on the handlebars, changing the angle of her descent and bringing the front wheel away from the building.  The rear wheel hit an outcropping windowsill, which broke away.  Of rather more importance, though, the bump transformed most of Shampoo's velocity from vertical to horizontal.  She shot out from the building, passing clear from one side of the empty lot to the other before touching down next to a wall.  Shampoo hopped off the bicycle, pulled a chain and padlock out of the box on the handlebars, and carefully secured the bike against theft.

                Somehow, that last note only increased the sense of unreality.  Kaede just stood there, blinking, her mind struggling to get back in gear, for nearly a minute.

                Shampoo smirked.  The mental battle was just as important as the physical one, Great-Grandmother had taught her.  It was certainly true that the only time she'd lost a formal match, it had been after seriously underestimating her opponent.  Shampoo didn't think there was much chance of getting Kaede to underestimate her, not anymore anyway, but psyching her out... well, that was perhaps even more satisfying.

                Still, the entertainment value of watching her opponent gape at her could only hold for so long.  "Anytime you is ready, Kaede," she called, after having crossed roughly half the distance separating her from the other girl.  "If that mean you want to put off for another ten day, just say so."

                "Ah... no."  Mentally replaying that response, Kaede felt a sudden sharp surge of annoyance.  "You should be so lucky!" she said, rather more spiritedly.  "No, Shampoo, I don't think I need that much time.  So, are we agreed?  Kiss of Death won't apply for this fight?"

                "I will not be giving you Kiss of Death," Shampoo agreed.

                The _really_ annoying thing, Kaede reflected, was that she couldn't be sure whether that had been a taunt or just a result of Shampoo's less-than-complete grasp of Japanese.  Nevertheless, she reminded herself, it didn't really matter.  She already had plenty to pay the Amazon back for.

                The subtle signs of her opponent readying herself for mayhem didn't escape Shampoo.  Kaede's narrowed eyes, her knuckles clenched around the tonfa she'd just drawn, the battle aura burning around her... if the Amazon didn't know any better, she'd think Kaede was really angry or something.  Like there was something more on the table for this battle than just a chance to prove herself.

                Well, Shampoo thought with a mental shrug, she'd know soon enough, when she saw how Kaede took her upcoming defeat.

                Her opponent was already moving, coming in slowly but inexorably, a tonfa gripped in each hand.  For the moment, Shampoo opted not to pull out any weapons of her own.  She waited motionless, tensing, letting Kaede cross the distance... and then, with a yell, she exploded forward, running toward Kaede as quickly as she could, spinning into a kick that would have given the Japanese girl a nasty headache if it had landed.

                Kaede simultaneously leaned backward and bent her knees, letting Shampoo's kick miss her by an inch.  In the same motion she counterattacked, bringing one tonfa up and around in the opposite direction, smacking forcefully into Shampoo's leg as it slipped past her.  Kaede winced as she felt the sting of the contact, transferred back along her weapon and into her palm.

                The attack didn't really hurt Shampoo, but it did compromise her balance.  She wobbled, ever so slightly; Kaede seized the opening and spun to the side, launching a kick of her own.  Hers connected, striking the Amazon's hip squarely and knocking her the rest of the way off-balance.  Shampoo twisted in midair, though, landing on her feet with knees bent nearly double and then springing forward again.  Somewhere in there (Kaede wasn't certain exactly where) she had also brought one bonbori to hand.  Kaede dodged, striking out at the weapon as hard as she could, trying to knock it from Shampoo's grasp.  The ball of the weapon gave a muted *clong*, but Shampoo's grip didn't waver at all.

                Kaede snarled a mental curse.  Shampoo might not have been affected by that attack, but her own hand was stinging badly--enough to warn her that she'd probably lose her grip if she tried another attack too soon.  The Amazon was already turning again, coming around to face her, leading with a bonbori strike that Kaede knew better than to try to block.  The Japanese girl backpedaled desperately, needing to buy herself a few seconds of recovery time.

                Instead of pressing the attack, Shampoo hesitated, wondering whether she should return the bonbori to storage.  Pulling it out had been more an instinctive act than anything else; it wasn't like she'd seen an opening that it would help her take advantage of.  And given the fact that her opponent appeared to be even faster now than in their last fight, the slowdown factor of her maces made them seem like they'd be more hindrance than help against this particular rival. 

                Then again, the weapons did give her more options than she had when fighting empty-handed.  Shampoo decided to stick with using just one of them.  She began to move again, approaching Kaede with her body angled to present as narrow a profile as possible.  Her empty left hand led the way before her, and her right held the bonbori back along her body.  Her unburdened hand should be fast enough to at least slow down any attack before it reached her body, Kaede noted grimly, leaving her opponent able to disperse the rest of it with the mace and then counterattack.

                As the last of the distance between them vanished, Kaede struck.  Those few seconds had let her recover most of the feeling in her hand, but she wasn't quite ready yet to push too hard.  And so she opted for an attack at about half her current top speed, bringing both tonfa forward in an attack aimed to smash Shampoo's forward wrist from both sides at once.  Hopefully the unorthodox attack would be enough to catch the Chinese girl off guard.

                However, Shampoo's pose had been something of a ruse.  She wasn't all that worried about defense, certainly not against random blows to the torso.  And so as soon as Kaede had begun moving to attack, the Amazon was moving as well, pulling back hard with her left shoulder and arm, hauling her leading hand back toward her, using that force to rotate her guarded side forward.  This left her facing straight ahead, and almost completely open to blows to the body... and it also brought her bonbori shooting forward quite forcefully.

                Only the fact that Kaede's attack had been directed at a point forward of the Amazon's body saved her.  She barely managed to change her angle, bringing the tonfa together in an X pattern, not so much 'blocking' as 'intercepting' Shampoo's blow.  She tensed the muscles of her upper body while slightly relaxing those of her hips and legs, which caused the blow to skid her backwards without actually harming her.

                As Shampoo's movement reached its natural full extension and her momentum died away, Kaede launched her next attack, pressing forward again and trying for a one-two strike to the Amazon's head.  Shampoo dropped the bonbori and brought her arms up, catching the blows on her forearms.  In the next instant she shifted all her weight to one foot and hopped backwards to open some distance between herself and Kaede.  As soon as there was space enough, her other foot came up in a snap kick... aimed not at Kaede directly, but rather at the bonbori that was still dropping through the air.  Her kick caught the ball of the mace and sent the weapon flying toward Kaede.  She didn't have quite as much control as she needed, though, and instead of the heavy ball striking Kaede, the Japanese girl was just clipped by the handle.

                NOW it was time for some real speed, Kaede decided.  She blazed forward and to the side, curving in and slamming a blow directly into Shampoo's left elbow (which told her that under the Amazon's long-sleeved shirt was something giving additional protection at that joint), then bouncing another off her knee.  Then she was behind the Chinese girl, but couldn't attack for the moment--Shampoo was already diving away from her, tucking and rolling forward to retrieve the bonbori.

                Kaede darted forward as well, intending to get there at the same time and nail her opponent in that window of opportunity.  Unfortunately for her, she didn't know where Ryoga had learned one of his techniques from their last fight.

                As Shampoo rolled, she snaked one hand out to the side and employed the Bakkusai Tenketsu.  The explosion triggered behind her and in front of Kaede, lending an extra bit of speed to Shampoo's roll and, rather more importantly, knocking Kaede backward and off her feet.  Shampoo caught up her bonbori in her right hand, came back up in one smooth motion that brought her to a half-crouch while at the same time whirling her around to face her opponent.  She stood the rest of the way up, and gave Kaede a bloodthirsty grin.  "Not bad so far, Kaede.  But must try harder."

                The Japanese girl spared an instant to check herself for damage.  A few bruises seemed to be the extent of it; fate or chance had at least spared her any bleeding cuts this time.  Better than it could have been, but that was cold comfort indeed.  "How the hell many special techniques do you HAVE?!" she roared, letting all her frustration out at once.

                "Amazons have fought and learned for three thousand years, Kaede.  What you see from Shampoo is only tip of iceberg."  It was back to the mental game for the moment.  "Great-Grandmother could level city block if have good reason to."

                The flame of Kaede's resolve weakened, then dimmed.  This was flying directly in the face of one of the hardest, most painful lessons she'd ever learned, one part of her mind argued.  Only a fool seeks fights far out of her league.  An apprentice has no place issuing a serious challenge to a grandmaster.  So WHAT if Shampoo was roughly the same age as Kaede herself!  That didn't change the fact that the other girl had been given an incredible number of advantages, advantages that had certainly never been offered to Kaede.

                The spark flickered, guttering low.  '_Maybe I should give up, for a while at least_,' Kaede thought glumly.  Better to go to Ranma again, and get more training...

                And then in an instant memory returned, and the flame roared again, higher than ever.

                Shampoo blinked, caught slightly off-guard by her opponent's response.  Kaede's face had twisted, she'd let out a wordless growl, then dropped both her tonfa, and was now racing forward with her hands outstretched as if to strangle her lavender-haired foe.  The Amazon stepped forward as if to meet her, then jumped, going airborne in an arc that would take her just far enough over Kaede's head to bounce the bonbori off her noggin.

                So far in this fight, Kaede had not used the full extent of the lower-body speed she'd worked so hard recently to gain.  That changed now as she twisted, skipping one pace to the side and then bouncing some six feet into the air herself.  The move brought her up on Shampoo's left side, which was nearly wide open after the Amazon had committed to the bonbori attack.

                Kaede didn't waste the opportunity.  Even as she left the ground, her right hand was closing on a weapon as well.  She brought the sai up and around in a gleaming flash of silver, attempting to do what she'd done when fighting Ryoga and cut away the material protecting the Amazon's elbow, then launch a debilitating shiatsu strike.

                Ryoga didn't know the Amaguriken.  Ryoga's 'protection' had just been some loose cloth that prevented Kaede from seeing where to land the attack.  Shampoo, on the other hand, was fast enough to at least TRY to avoid the move, and she had protected her elbows by wrapping them with a couple of scarves she'd borrowed from Cologne.  They were made from the same lightweight, nonconstrictive, and extremely durable material as the Matriarch's robe (Shampoo had been told they were woven from spider's silk, but she was pretty sure her Great-Grandmother had been having some fun at her expense.  Even an infant could pull apart a cobweb, after all).  And so, with these differences in the two battles, it is perhaps not surprising that the end result was different as well.

                The sai caught and slipped, and as Shampoo yanked her elbow back the blade sliced a deep cut along her forearm.

                Kaede froze at the sudden surge of blood, forgetting that she was in midair.  She came down in a completely uncontrolled landing, and it was only sheer luck that saved her from receiving her own nasty wound from the sai.  She scrambled back to her feet, all grace and elegance gone from her movements, and stared in horror.  "I... I didn't... that wasn't..."

                Shampoo had touched down now as well, landing about seven feet away.  She gave Kaede one long, cold, considering glance, then turned her attention to her arm.  She ripped off the sleeves from her outfit (making sure to leave the scarves in place for continued protection), pulled a jar of salve out of... somewhere, and quickly bandaged the wound.  That done, she turned back to face Kaede.

                Before the Chinese girl could say or do anything more, Kaede whirled.  The flow of battle had brought them near the wall that bounded one side of their battleground.  At the apex of her turn, Kaede released her weapon, sending it flying away with force enough to sink the blade quite far into the wall.  There would be no retrieving that, at least not on her own strength.  Choking down the nasty awareness that her opponent was probably strong enough to pull it out one-handed, Kaede turned back to face Shampoo.  "That was a mistake.  I lost control.  It won't happen again."  It was as close as she could come to pleading for mercy.

                It was a response Shampoo could respect.  Unfortunately, as Ranma could testify, the respect of a Chinese Amazon is not always entirely a good thing.

                Her bonbori disappeared, as a smirk replaced her hard, cold expression.  "Then let Shampoo give you better example!  Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!!"

                Kaede just stared, unable to fathom what Shampoo hoped to accomplish.  The Amazon had dropped to one knee, and was now apparently pummeling the earth... wait a minute, she wasn't punching it, her strikes were connecting with just one fingertip...

                The Delayed Blast Breaking Point was quite a bit harder to do than the standard version, but as Cologne had promised, the versatility more than made up for that.  Shampoo had just primed four square feet of ground to explode, giving herself seven heartbeats of a grace period after the final strike to the ground.  One tiny disconnected part of her mind counted them, as she flowed into the next part of her plan.

                One -- she shifted position, pulling back from the imminent blast zone, and calling up all the strength she could muster...

                Two and Three and Four -- rocking back so that she was resting on the balls of her feet, her legs bent nearly double to keep her low to the ground, while at the same time producing both her bonbori...

                Five and Six -- the calm before the storm, as she continued to build energy within herself...

                Seven -- the bonbori, now glowing, twitching into the first motion of the arc that would bring them together...

                The earth erupted, sending a massive cloud of dirt and debris shooting up and out.  Later, the Amazon would learn that she'd actually wasted quite a bit of strength by invoking the full Amaguriken; she'd primed a vast multitude of breaking points, so many that nearly three-quarters of them had interfered with each other and not detonated at all.  She could have gotten the same basic effect at a fraction of the effort.  But that would be a lesson for later; there was certainly no time for such considerations now.  An instant later, just delayed enough to hide the action from Kaede's view, her maces smacked together and released her final attack.  The energy roared forward, blasting into and through the cloud.

                And revealed a second lesson Shampoo would learn from this particular battle.  The cloud of dirt was chock full of agitated chi--a bit of Shampoo's own, left over from the Amaguriken, and quite a large amount from the natural disruptions caused by the Breaking Point technique.  Shampoo had thought that the billowing dust would just serve as a screen to hide her real attack from Kaede's sight.  However, when the nearly pure chi of that attack encountered the overabundant ambient chi in the cloud, the effect went quite a bit beyond what the lavender-haired girl had intended.

                For one awful, chaotic instant, the air seemed to tear itself apart.  Shampoo was quite a bit closer to the reaction than Kaede; it was fortunate for her that the majority of the energy was still directed away from her, due to the vector of her final attack.  Even the backwash of the explosion, though, was enough to knock her off her feet.  She rolled five feet backward before coming to a stop, then gingerly stood upright and surveyed the results of her combo.  The ground actually appeared to be in better shape than it should have; the damage from triggering all those Breaking Points seemed to have been flattened down by the force of the explosion, a smooth depression replacing the torn, broken ground.

                That wasn't Shampoo's biggest concern just then, though.  Of rather more importance was Kaede, lying some fifteen feet away from where she'd been when Shampoo started her chained techniques.  The girl was lying on her side, facing away from Shampoo, and didn't seem to be moving at all.

                Fighting a feeling of dread, the Amazon hurried over.  The LAST thing she wanted was for Ranma to get back and find out she'd accidentally killed one of the competition--let alone the only one of them she could really respect.  "Kaede!!  Kaede, is you okay?!"

                She came up next to her fallen opponent, noting with further fear that Kaede seemed to have landed in a really, really awkward bunched-up sort of position.  That she should remain in a pose so obviously unnatural and uncomfortable... well, the best Shampoo was hoping for at this point was unconsciousness.

                She certainly wasn't expecting the girl to shoot up from the ground and strike out at her.

                Kaede pushed aside all thoughts of caution, all awareness of just how badly that could have gone had she not begun dodging back and to the side as soon as she recognized the signs of the 'tap the ground and make it blow up' trick.  She focused, this time sacrificing speed for power, striking Shampoo hard in her shoulder.  Kaede wasn't exactly trying to do damage with the attack (she figured she'd pushed her luck far enough with the sai mishap), but rather knock the Amazon off-balance.  In that respect, it succeeded quite nicely.

                Shampoo slipped, and would have fallen... but a second strike from Kaede transformed the motion of her fall into a spin.  Another strike, and another, and another, each increasing the speed of the Amazon's rotation, until she was just a pinkish purplish blur.  By this time Kaede was down on one knee, in order to keep Shampoo's hair from flying into her eyes, pushing herself to the limit to keep up the high-speed strikes at what was, for her, nearly full strength.

                As she felt her reserves sinking toward exhaustion, Kaede pulled back.  Shampoo spun through fifteen more complete revolutions before falling flat on her stomach.  She lay there, her arms akimbo, her hair a tangled snarl, her chin against the earth the only thing keeping her head upright, her eyes spinning through comical whirls and loop-the-loops.

                Not that Kaede had attention to spare for such details.  She moved forward, as quickly as she could with the strength she had remaining, and pressed one fingertip against the back of the Amazon's neck.  Once, twice, each time with more than enough force to trigger the Instant Unconsciousness pressure point.

                The fact that the first strike fell six millimeters to the left of that point, and the second fell six millimeters to the right, was by Kaede's choice.  The gesture was all that was needed now.  Kaede took several more deep, heaving breaths, and then said, "The match... is... mine."

***************

                "So, Great-Granddaughter," Cologne said inscrutably.  "How did the match go?"

                For a long moment, Shampoo just stared back at her great-grandmother.  Letting the elder get a really good look at her.  Giving the Matriarch every opportunity to take in her disheveled state, her hair that looked like a miniature hurricane had blown through it, her dirty and torn clothes, and the bloody bandage wrapped around one arm.  "I no want to talk about it," she said eventually, swallowing the response that she'd _really_ wanted to make.

                "So she did manage to defeat you this time."

                Cologne had spoken in a matter-of-fact tone, not showing any surprise at this outcome, no outraged censure that Shampoo, an Amazon, had dared to lose to an outsider.  In that instant, Shampoo felt certain she would rather have had that shock and shame.  "She not beat with skill!  She out-sneak Shampoo!!"

                "Temper, temper," the Matriarch advised her great-granddaughter.  "Your Japanese is slipping, Shampoo.  You have learned better than this."

                Shampoo took several deep, ragged breaths, slowly regaining her temper and composure.  "She pretended to be disable by my big attack.  When I go over to check and make sure she not dead, she get in sneak attack."

                "Ah, well, such is life.  We learn more from our defeats than our victories anyway, as a general rule."  Cologne glanced at the bandage on her youngest descendant's arm.  She could smell the faint tang of a particularly useful Amazon herbal ointment.  "A good thing that you thought to bring fleshknit salve with you to this match.  Son-in-law would be jealous if you had a more impressive scar than any he carries."

                Shampoo snorted fiercely.  "Brought stupid medicine for HER, not for me!  Just in case she get hurt.  Was not supposed to need it myself!"

                "Well, that would have been a nice gesture," Cologne murmured.  "A sop to her pride, anyway.  She might have been pushing far beyond where she should go, but at least she wouldn't scar herself doing it."

                The younger Amazon heaved a long, exasperated sigh.  "Great-Grandmother, my head hurts something fierce.  I nearly threw up twice while I was walking back.  And I just remembered I left my bike back at the lot.  Can  you PLEASE just say what you mean straight out?!"

                Cologne decided that with Shampoo's current mood, it would be better to wait until later to drive home the lesson about not underestimating opponents.  "Child, I just want you to take a step back and look at yourself," Cologne said half-kindly, half-exasperatedly.  "Have you learned any lessons from this defeat?"

                "...Yes."

                "And there was nothing else at stake.  Correct?  She agreed to waive the Kiss of Death, didn't she?"

                "Yes."  The reminder of how much worse things could have been went a long way toward soothing Shampoo's feelings.

                "And since you had the right medicine with you, you won't even bear a scar from this battle."  Cologne gave her great-granddaughter a reassuring look.  "This is NOT the sort of defeat to get bent out of shape over."

                "I suppose."  That didn't mean she had to like it, though.

                "Speaking of scars... how exactly did you receive that wound?"  The Matriarch hesitated just for a fraction of an instant, then asked, "Was it deliberate on her part?"

                "No.  She try cut away shirt sleeve to open me up to same attack she use last time.  Meant to fill arm full of pins and needles, not cut it open.  Blade just slipped when it hit," Shampoo rolled her eyes, "_spider's silk_ scarf."

                "If you're certain that's true..."

                Shampoo nodded.  "Is so.  We talk for little while after battle."  It had been a real pain in the neck, too; as soon as her head had stopped spinning enough to permit thought, pride had forced her to put on as good a face as she could manage.  Still, it was some small comfort that Kaede believed her to have been completely recovered even before they finished their short conversation.  And the other girl had left before she did, so she hadn't been around to see Shampoo forget her bike and leave on foot.  "She apologize for mistake, tell Shampoo to keep weapon what do it."  Kaede had made a very strange face, too, the Amazon remembered, when Shampoo had taken her up on the offer and retrieved the embedded blade.

                She produced the weapon and held it out to Cologne, letting the Matriarch evaluate its quality and see that that hadn't been just a meaningless token gesture.  Even after having been planted in a wall and then jerked out, the sai was in good enough shape for any Amazon to carry it into battle.  Cologne made an approving sort of noise and handed it back.  "Then you accepted her apology?"

                "Mm-hm.  Both of them."

                Cologne's eyebrows lifted slightly.  "Both apologies?  What was the second one for?"

                Shampoo snorted, remembering back to the battle's aftermath.  "Was reason she so determined, fight so hard this time.  Had go to Tendo place yesterday to catch Ranma, and finally learned that he not there.  Was blaming us for him being gone."

                "Well, at least half the responsibility does lie with us, you know," Cologne said reasonably.

                "Yes, but she not thinking straight!  Thinking Ranma might be really gone for good!  With thought of that, and that it would be Shampoo's fault, it was why she picked today for our next match.  Was why she fought so hard."  Shampoo gave another, louder, more annoyed snort.  "Was probably how she manage to pull off win... OW!"  She gave her Great-Grandmother a betrayed look, while rubbing her head.  "Why you swat me?!"

                "Don't underestimate your opponents, Shampoo!  I thought you said you'd learned a lesson from this day's events?"

                '_Yeah, don't tell Great-Grandmother anything she doesn't want to hear_,' Shampoo thought sarcastically.  Aloud, she said, "Yes, I did, Kaede too.  Told her she not thinking straight, told her Ranma is not type to solve problems by running away for good.  Told her everyone who care for him is here, is for sure he come back before too much longer.  When I lay it all out for her like that, she see for own self, and apologize for getting so mad."

                Privately, Cologne decided that would secure Kaede's position as far and away the most reasonable of Ranma's pursuers, her own great-granddaughter most definitely included.  Now more than ever, she was glad the girl had waited until this late in the game to show up.  "Very well.  Perhaps you should go get some rest now, Shampoo.  Unless there was something else you wanted to ask?" she added in a tone heavy with meaning.

                Shampoo blinked.  "Umm... no?  Rest sound pretty good right now."

                Cologne let her go.  There would be time enough later to discuss the wild surge of chi she'd sensed.  Even from all these many blocks away, she had caught distinctive hints of Shampoo's own life force, which eliminated the possibility that it had been some random high-powered martial artist engaged in a match of her own.  No, it had definitely been Shampoo who didn't seem to realize that she'd lost control of an attack strong enough to rip through four feet of solid steel.  Her great-granddaughter didn't know it yet, but she'd just crossed a line that meant it was time to start receiving some REAL chi training.  Letting the matter slide would be much too dangerous, and in direct violation of Amazon law to boot.

                Still, the Matriarch thought sourly, the timing was rather unfortunate.  The city was far too cramped, too crowded, too full of easily broken things for the kind of training Shampoo would shortly be undergoing.  They were going to have to take a training trip to the woods on the outskirts of Nerima.  It wasn't going to be easy to watch for Ranma's return from that vantage point, and it might prove impossible to make sure they were the first to greet him when he did return to Nerima.  A fact that would certainly not escape Shampoo's notice.  Cologne suppressed a sigh at the thought of the world-class sulk she would likely have to endure over the next couple of days.  She was getting too old for this.

***************

                "So what do you think, Ucchan?"

                Aside from Ranma's voice, the silence was unbroken by any human sounds.  The stars glittered overhead, with a crystalline clarity greater than they ever got in Tokyo.  The two of them sat on the slope of a mountain, not terribly high up (though it was still chilly enough that Ukyo had thickened the darkness around them to serve as insulation), with stone at their back, to their left, and to their right.  Sometime in ages past, a random geologic event had scooped a huge arc out of this mountain and the land below, giving birth to a deep, pure, extremely cold lake.  The outlying stone of the mountain hugged the lake for nearly three-quarters of its circumference, and the remaining stretch of water butted up against the edge of several miles of dense forest.  It might not have been THE most remote spot in all of India, but it was probably at least in the top ten.

                Ranma still remembered the days he and Genma had spent struggling though the forest below, Ranma growing more and more irate at his father's refusal to admit he didn't have a clue where they were.  He had been hot, tired, dirty, and extremely irritated when they'd finally broken through the tree line and come within sight of the lake.  Yes, the memory was quite vivid, especially the part where he'd dived in and found the water temperature to be hovering only a few degrees away from ice.  Ranma didn't think he'd ever forget that, no matter how hard he tried.

                Tossing Genma in afterward had been rather fun, though.

                He didn't really give Ukyo time to answer the question, following it up with, "I mean, I know this hasn't been a normal kind of date, exactly.  I just wanted to do something different.  Something that'd surprise you."  '_Something I understand._'  "So... what'd you... was it okay?  We've still got time--"

                "Shhh, Ranma," Ukyo said, taking pity on him.  "You're ruining the atmosphere."  Ever so smoothly, she shifted her weight, sliding just a little closer to him, then a little closer yet, finally reaching the point where she could comfortably lean to the side and rest her head on his shoulder.  Ranma tensed slightly, but almost as quickly forced himself to relax.  The posture wasn't _really _threatening, after all, in fact with the way Ukyo was balancing her weight it would be almost impossible to shift into something more intimate.  And anyway this was Ucchan, he reminded himself, she'd never come near Shampoo's... eagerness.

                Still, this was a little bit uncomfortable... not too bad, but his arm was feeling rather awkward, pinched a bit by the unfamiliar weight leaning in on his shoulder.  A few seconds later, the light bulb went off (so to speak), and he gingerly slid his arm up, back, and over, curving carefully around Ukyo as well.

                The action alleviated one sort of stress, at least, though it probably created just as much as it relieved.  This was just about the limit he felt ready to handle right now, at least as far as taking the initiative went.  His heart wasn't racing, exactly, but it had definitely picked up the pace a bit, and his muscles were showing an unfortunate inclination to tense and tremble.

                They sat there in silence, Ranma letting his attention roam from the sky around to the mountainside surrounding them to the reflection of the moon in the dark, still water below.  Gradually, the nervous tension faded.  This wasn't scary... not really.  '_Heck, I think maybe I could even get to like it..._'

                When Ukyo felt the last of his fear fade away, it was all she could do not to pull out a couple of victory fans and start waving them around, which would certainly have spoiled the mood.  She refrained, therefore, just resting there, content in the knowledge that here, now, she had Ranma all to herself, and it was by his own choice.

                Eventually, she answered, "It was the best first date in the history of the universe, Ranchan."  Oh, sure, a purist might argue whether this could really be considered a _first_ date, since they had gone out before... but since those had all ended in disaster in one way or another, they didn't count.

                Ranma couldn't help swelling a bit on hearing that.  Still, though the reassurance was nice by itself, he decided it would also be nice to understand it a little better.  This hadn't been much like a normal date, after all.  "Really?  That good, huh?  Even without any flowers, or dinner, or a movie?  Not even a walk in some romantic park under the cherry blossoms?"

                Ukyo snorted lightly.  "What, you mean the same old stuff everyone does?  No way, sugar.  This was a hundred times better.  I'd trade a dozen bouquets of roses for each stop on our trip tonight."

                "Really?  You mean that?"

                "Absolutely.  Why so surprised, Ranma honey?" Ukyo asked.  "Just why did you decide on doing this for our date anyway?"

                "I just thought it'd be a good thing.  Go back, show you some of the places I remember best.  Tell you about the good times and the bad."

                And that was just what he'd done.  He had spent most of a day remembering, thinking back over his long journey with Genma.  Going over the highlights, reliving the long times on the road and the destinations they'd sought out.  He'd taken Ukyo to many of these places, skipping the two of them across quite a large stretch of Asia, showing her a great variety of sights.  They had passed through cities more crowded than Nerima ever got, and through remote stretches of wilderness where perhaps no foot had trod since Ranma's last passage through.  He showed her temples hidden deep in mountain valleys, and training grounds both famous and forgotten. And at each stop, Ranma had talked about what had happened here, why he remembered it, why he'd felt like this memento from his journey was worth showing to her.

                It had been quite easy to talk to her, when just about everything he was saying had to do with martial arts in one way or another.  Not until this last stop, with the two of them sitting in silence, did Ranma think back and really see that.  Not exactly your typical girl's idea of a hot date, he suspected.

                "And you were right," Ukyo said firmly, responding to his words, not his thoughts.  "It was a really good thing to do.  Tonight means a lot to me, Ranchan.  All that time that... that I had thought we were gonna have together.  That Genma didn't let me in on.  It's like you gave some of that back to me tonight.  That's why I said it was the best date ever."

                "I'm glad," he said.  After a bit, honesty prompted him to add, "I guess we both got lucky.  I mean, I hoped this was a pretty good idea, but I didn't know it'd mean this much to you.  I was almost a little worried, cause this wasn't really a romantic evening or nothin'."

                Ukyo blinked.  He didn't think this was romantic?  She supposed it was just another one of those inexplicable quirks of the male psyche.  "Ranma honey, I don't need flowers or a dance at a fancy dinner club.  I mean, those things are nice, sometimes, I guess, but that's not all that important really."

                "What is important?" Ranma asked, hoping against hope that it'd be something he could actually understand.

                "Sharing."

                '_Okay, I was kind of hoping for more than a one-word answer._'  Aloud, he repeated, "Sharing?  What do you mean?"

                Deciding a bit reluctantly that she needed to look him in the eyes for this, Ukyo pulled out of the embrace, shifted around, and met his gaze.  "Just what I said.  Sharing your life, sharing the good and the bad.  That's the important stuff, in a marriage OR in a friendship.  And how much you're willing to share of yourself... that's how much you care about whoever."

                Ranma mulled that over for awhile.  "Where'd you learn this, Ukyo?" he asked.  "It seems pretty deep."

                Ukyo looked away, raising her eyes to regard the moon.  It was nearly full.  With a little imagination, she could see an old man's face there... kind of appropriate, in a way.  "It's from several talks my dad had with me," she answered.  "About a year before I came to Nerima.  To tell you the truth, I didn't listen... I mean, I listened, but I didn't really take it in, you know?  He didn't come out and say so, but I knew what he was trying to do was get me to let go of all this, forget about you and your dad.  That wasn't something I was ever gonna do, so I basically just let his talks wash past me.  But some of it stuck, I guess."

                "Is  it... do you think that's right?  That that's really what matters the most?" her best friend asked, a rather plaintive note in his voice.  Was it really that simple?

                "I, I think so."  Ukyo was blushing now, though he couldn't see it.  "I mean... I've had dreams, sometimes.  Just... thoughts about the future, how I hoped it would go.  And... and sometimes in those you'd do something romantic... but that was just, like, garnish on the okonomiyaki.  A nice little something extra.  What really mattered was that we were together.  And we were happy.

                "I'm not trying to pressure you, Ranma," she hastened to reassure him, still not looking around.  "Just answering your question best I know how.  I really do believe what I told you."

                He let out a long breath, feeling as if some sort of tension that he'd never really known he carried was leaving him as well.   "Okay, Ucchan.  I guess I can do that, or at least I can try.  Just remember, I may still screw up on the 'doing stuff' part.  Like that time after Ryoga."

                "Huh?"  Ukyo turned back to face him, a quizzical look plain to see even in this light.  "The time after Ryoga?"

                "Yeah, you know."  Ranma shifted uncomfortably.  "When you got him out of the way so you could haul Kaede's bacon out of the fire.  And you were real sad afterward, because of what you thought you mighta done to him.  I still wish I'd known something better to do then than just hold you like that.  That's what I was trying to say, that I'll do the best I can, but sometimes it--hey!!"

                Ukyo had just formed a battle spatula out of solid Darkness and bopped him with it.  Not hard enough to hurt, but definitely enough to get his attention  "Ranma you dummy, I canNOT believe you just said that!  Do you honestly think you didn't do a good enough job then?!"

                "Uh... no?"  This said in a tone of voice that indicated he sensed it was the wrong answer, but didn't have a clue why.

                "Well, that's just crazy!  There is absolutely NOTHING you could have done better.  Nothing you could've said to calm me down or cheer me up--hell, shape I was in, I wouldn't have heard a single word of it.  What I needed, you gave me... yourself, there, not, not running away from me when I felt like I was dirty through and through.  Holding me that close."  Ukyo blinked away several tears.  "Like I said, sharing with me.  Just being there.  It was enough, and it... it was the best thing you could have done."

                "Huh."  Ranma fell silent.  Ukyo took a few minutes to compose herself.  At the end of that time, she took another good look at her best friend's face.  He was still deep in thought, but he didn't seem to be struggling so much to get a handle on these revelations.  He had a contemplative look on his face, rather than the dumbfounded expression that had been there shortly before.

                "Yen for your thoughts, sugar?" she said at last.

                "Eh?  Oh... I was just thinking," Ranma said softly.  "Thinking back over tonight, and the last couple of weeks.  It's... it's strange, y'know?  I've gotten some stuff right, the kind of stuff that I've had so much trouble with before.  Things I thought I'd done wrong, and now you're telling me I got 'em perfect, or close enough."  He exhaled, letting the air out in a long, slow, deep breath.  "That never happened with Akane."

                "Ranma, do me a favor."  Ukyo had made herself a promise--that during this date, she wouldn't use any of her mind-influencing abilities.  Her relationship with Ranma had to stand or fall on its own strength, not depend on her ability to drain away negative emotions.  Not from Ranma, not even from herself.  And so, now, her eyes _burned_ in the darkness.  "Never, EVER compare me with her."

***************

                There were any number of things Soun Tendo would rather be doing just now.  It was a bright, sunny morning, with a delicious breeze blowing, the kind of morning where sweeping the yard was a delight, not a chore.  That would be much better than this.  Or perhaps sitting at the shogi table, facing off against his old friend Genma, each of them amiably trying to out-cheat the other.  He would enjoy that quite a lot, just now.  Relaxing in the furo, reading the paper, going for a walk... any of these things would have been heaven, compared to what he'd been coerced into doing.

                He ducked and sidestepped, letting Akane's kick swish harmlessly by.

                Akane followed up on the attack with a charging flurry of punches.  Soun backpedaled, moving just enough faster than his daughter that by the time her punches reached him overextension had robbed them of most of their force.  This tactic enabled him to let several of them slip through his guard without actually taking any damage.  "Careful, Akane!" he protested.  "I'm not as durable as I used to be."

                "Come ON, Dad!" his daughter yelled.  "Fight me back!"

                A suggestion which was promptly vetoed by two prime directives--Soun's fatherly instincts, and his sense of self-preservation.  Yes, there were plenty of holes in his youngest daughter's offensive... but if he struck into one of them, he'd either have to hit her hard enough to incapacitate her (an absolutely unthinkable act), or just strike with a touch to point out the gap in her defenses.  This option would, unfortunately, leave him wide open to her counterattack, and Soun knew from first-hand experience that Akane wouldn't pull _her_ punches in that scenario.  No, this was definitely a no-win situation.  The best he could hope for was a draw, and so he played a defensive game, waiting until the sparring round had continued for long enough that he could plead exhaustion and beg off.

                "Akane, sweetie, when was the last time you saw me out here practicing?" Soun pleaded, dodging another couple of attacks.  Akane was off-balance after the failed gambit, wide open for a few seconds--just long enough for her father to fake a stumble and then recover before she could try to take advantage of it.  "I'm not the martial artist I used to be.  I can't just jump right back in."  He jumped backward, avoiding her sweep.

                "Well, one of us needs to be ready to defend the dojo!" Akane retorted, coming in for another attack.  She was beginning to breathe heavily, a fact that irked her to no end.  The others made this 'talking while you're fighting' thing look so easy!  "What if Shampoo... comes back for another try?!"

                "She won't," Soun said, jinking out of the way of Akane's high punch.  "You know she was just trying to cause trouble between you and Ranma."

                "So what..." Akane broke off her offensive, and began slowly circling her father.  This let her keep talking while still recovering her wind.  "...what makes you think she'll quit now?"

                Soun just gave his daughter a nonplused sort of look.  "Er, well, the fact that he's gone?  Why do you think she'd bother to come back?"

                "Don't you think she might?"  Akane's face twisted.  "After you and Mr. Saotome get Ranma back here?!"  And with that she ceased the circling, and charged forward at full speed and power.

                Soun knew better than to try to block one of his daughter's full-strength punches.  Desperately he swung to the side, giving a gentle nudge that forced her off-balance.  Not enough to actually send her to the ground, just enough that she had to spend several seconds recovering her center.  He used that time to retreat to the center of the dojo.  "What are you talking about, Akane?"

                "I saw you!" Akane yelled, moving in again.  "Saw you and Mr. Saotome together in the street, yesterday afternoon!"  She moved in again, launching a feint and keeping the real attack in reserve for when her father would dodge to the side.  However, to her incredible frustration, Soun opted to backpedal instead of sidestepping.  "You were talking about getting Ranma back here, weren't you?!  Forcing both of us back into that stupid engagement without even ASKING ME!!"

                '_Modified Crouch of the Wild Tiger_,' Soun thought, twisting partially out of the way of her incoming haymaker, pushing out one arm to deflect it the rest of the way, 'misjudging' the angle and letting the force of her blow knock him to the floor in a defenseless position.  Akane might be angry, but she wouldn't just charge in and strike him while he was down--he hoped.  Sure enough, even through her anger, she pulled back, giving him the chance to get to his feet.

                He didn't take it.  "Akane, listen to me," he said calmly, looking up at her.  "That wasn't what Genma and I were talking about."

                "Go on, Dad.  Tell me another," she said bitterly.

                "It's not!" her father protested.  "I..." he sighed.  "I'm sorry.  I was wrong.  WE were wrong, Genma and I.  That's one of the things we've been talking about.  That we shouldn't have pushed the engagement between you and Ranma."  He gave her a reassuring smile.  "Both of us have agreed to call it off."  And he was quite glad they'd gotten that settled when they did, Soun mused, thinking back to the letter he'd received today.  Things said in the heat of the moment were one thing, but for Ranma to sit down and calmly write such a message this long after the fact, to state so flatly that he wasn't going to take up the engagement to Akane ever again... well, Soun was just thankful that he and Genma had already decided on their new course of action.  He hated to think how hard that letter would have hit him otherwise.

                Akane was silent, almost as if she didn't know how to react to her father's words.  For nearly a minute, she just stood there, staring at him.  Even after all that had happened, she hadn't really expected him to give in like this, not to go that far...  "Wait a minute, Dad," she said, suspicion suddenly rising in her voice.  "This is just a trick, isn't it?  I bet you think if you just drop it I'll decide to take Ranma back myself."

                Soun shook his head firmly.  "No, Akane.  I know better than that.  And... and I'm sorry.  Sorry for all the trouble I've caused you, by pushing you into something you really didn't want.  I won't do that again."  He stood up.  "Genma and I are agreed.  The engagement between you and Ranma has been dissolved for good."

                "Oh," Akane replied.  It was all she could think to say.

                Seizing the opportunity, Soun made his way over to the door.  "It was a nice workout, daughter, but I'd better head back now.  If I don't get a good hot soak in the furo quickly, I'll be aching for a week."  With no further ado, he slipped out the door.  Once out of her line of sight, he headed across the yard at a pace brisk enough to send Kasumi's laundry snapping and fluttering behind him.

                Akane just stood there, silent, trying to come to terms with this.  After a long, uncertain span of time, she broke out of her daze, at least enough to decide she wanted some fresh air.  Slowly, still more than halfway lost in thought, she headed over to the door herself and pulled it open.  And blinked.

                Ryoga blinked too.  The hand that had been poised to knock on the door hung purposelessly in the air.  "A- Akane?  What are you doing in Kansai?"

                Somehow, that question sucked the unreal quality right out of the situation.  One last blink, and then all Akane's surprise was gone.  "Hi, Ryoga," she said.  "You're in our back yard.  Not Kansai."

                "Oh.  Really?"  Ryoga laughed nervously, another familiar sight.  "Umm... that's a nice surprise.  Oh!"  He removed his backpack, set it on the ground and began to rummage through it.  "I've got a souvenir for you."  He pulled out a box wrapped in brown paper and tied with string.

                "Thanks."  Akane opened it up, to find some strange lumps that appeared to be vaguely organic in nature.  "What are they?"

                "Tulip bulbs," he said.  The displays of the flowers had been truly beautiful, and he would dearly have liked to get her a huge bouquet of them... but much as he hated it, the flowers would probably have died well before he could have gotten them to her.  Maybe someday he could take Akane to that theme park, if he could ever find it again, show her all the quaint windmills and dikes and buy her all the tulips she could carry.

                "You mean, these are like seeds?" Akane asked dubiously.  They didn't look like any seed she'd ever seen.

                "That's right.  They should still be good.  The lady told me that they keep for a really long time."  It had been a pain figuring out what she was trying to say, too... his Dutch wasn't all that great.  Ryoga admired dedication and realism as much as the next man, but he privately thought that park had been taking it a little far.

                "Well, thank you, Ryoga.  I'll get Kasumi to plant them," she said.

                "Ha ha!  You're welcome, Akane!" Ryoga said, suddenly looking rather stiff and nervous again.

                This was a fairly frequent occurrence when the lost boy showed up, so Akane didn't pay it any mind.  Just another one of those odd quirks that so many people around here had, she figured, like Mousse and his habit of keeping his glasses up on his forehead, or the way Ukyo viewed most things through a sort of okonomiyaki-based filter.  "So... could I get by?  I'm through in here," she said.

                "Oh!  Right!"  Ryoga moved stiffly to one side, looking for all the world like his knees had suddenly frozen up on him.  Akane passed through the doorway and out into the yard, wandered over to the koi pond, and sat down beside it.  Mechanically, Ryoga followed; she could almost hear a creak as he seated himself a little ways away.

                "So... it's been awhile since I've seen you," she said eventually.  "What's new?"

                Ryoga's mouth was open, the words were actually rising up in his mouth... at the very last second, and with a sense of absolute horror, he stopped himself from saying, "Finally got a cure for my curse!"  What actually came out was a strangled squawk that he did his best to disguise as a cough.  "Um... well... wandering around... but that's enough about me!!  What about you, Akane?!"

                "I... I..."  Akane looked away, staring down and forward into the water.  Water that had been so often displaced by a particular pigtailed projectile.  "Lots of things, Ryoga.  And lots of those things hurt.  I'd rather not talk about them right now."

                "I, I understand.  I'm really sorry about Shampoo, you know.  She had no right to do that!"

                And now Akane was staring at him, wide-eyed.  "H- how'd you know?!"

                '_OhcrapRanmathisisALLYOURFAULT!!_'  Ryoga searched desperately for an answer, eventually finding it in the previous reflexive mental complaint.  "I... I ran into Ranma.  In Hokkaido.  Heard the story from him."

                "From Ranma?  He told it to you like that?"  Akane couldn't believe it.  "Told you that he didn't agree with what Shampoo did?!"

                "Um... no," Ryoga replied.  "I kinda had to piece together what really happened for myself, after I listened to what he said."

                "Oh."  That was a good bit more believable, the youngest Tendo thought, her gaze dropping to rest on the water again.

                The silence stretched.  Eventually, Akane spoke up again.  "Dad just told me he and Mr. Saotome finally called the engagement off."

                "Th- they did?!"

                "Uh-huh.  At least, I think he really meant it."

                Ryoga gulped, trying to work some moisture into his throat.  "A- are you happy?  How'd that... make you feel?"

                "I just don't know," she confessed.  "I don't... I don't even know how I was feeling BEFORE Dad told me that!  I mean, I did miss him... a little... maybe... but part of me felt like I ought to be missing him a lot more!  I mean, he, he really helped me some times, saving me from Kirin, and Toma.  But... but... but I never felt like I MATTERED, like I was good enough!  Not when he was around!  And I sure didn't feel like HE felt that either, almost ever!  I..."  She let out a long, ragged sigh.  "I just don't know how to feel."

                Ryoga was silent for a long time, struggling, trying to decide what to say next.  There was something she deserved to know... something she needed to know... but he wasn't sure that now was the right time.  Still--he sneaked a long, sideways glance at her--she didn't seem like she was really hurting on the inside.  Not really, not deep down where it counted.  All he could really see was confusion.

                And he owed it to her to clear that confusion up.

                The lost boy took a deep breath.  "Akane... that wasn't the only news I got from Ranma, when I met him in Hokkaido.  He..." another deep breath, "...he's cured his curse.  With Nannichuan water.  That he got... from Shampoo."

                Akane froze.  There was no other word to describe it.

                Ryoga let several minutes pass before clearing his throat loudly.  When that had no effect, he spoke up.  "Akane?"

                "Ryoga."  She still wasn't looking at him.  The words emerged without any other hint of animation; she was still frozen, as if the statue of a pretty young girl sat there, rather than a creation of flesh and blood.  "I... I need to think... I think I need to be alone...  Could you go inside for awhile?"

                "All right," Ryoga said, deciding to find Kasumi, tell her this news as well, and ask her whether he'd gone too far.  This response--or lack thereof--was worrying him.  "I'll see you later."

                Much later, Akane thought distantly, watching him wander past the house and out the back gate.  Somehow, just now, she couldn't quite bring herself to care.

***************

                Ukyo braced herself, letting the waves crash and break over her.  One tiny corner of her mind noted that they were coming with rather less force than she had expected.  Perhaps Ranma was intentionally blunting them, that corner mused, or perhaps it was just another example of things being larger in memory than in reality.

                She let the water swirl over and around her for another minute, then slowly clambered out of the ocean and onto the rocky coast.  Ranma was already there, seated, waiting for her, perfectly dry and looking as fresh as if he'd just woken up from the best night's sleep of his life.

                "You know, that's really not fair," she grumbled, as she sat down next to him.

                Ranma ignored the remark for the moment, concentrating on the water that still clung to her, reaching out to it, forcing it to flow out and away, carrying with it all the salt and grime that had been there as well.  When he was finished, Ukyo was as clean as if she'd just come from a marathon session at a public bath.  "What's not fair?" he queried, once he could spare the attention.

                "We spent an HOUR this morning sparring in the friggin' Gobi desert, Ranchan.  YOU should NOT look as fresh as a daisy."

                Ranma frowned.  "Hey, there's only one of us here who's supposed to get compared to a flower, and it sure ain't me."

                She giggled tiredly.  "Thanks, I think.  Just don't say anything about Black-Eyed Susans, okay?"

                "Uh, okay."  Ranma turned the last sentence over in his mind a couple of times, eventually giving up on making sense of it.  "Anyway, why's it unfair?  You've got your skills, and I got mine."

                '_What's that supposed to... oh.  He must mean he's got experience fighting in the desert._'  Ukyo grimaced.  "I can't believe that idiot Genma... well, I can, I guess, I just don't want to.  Did he take you to a desert to train on purpose, or did he just get the two of you lost there?"

                Another remark that didn't make much sense.  It was true that he and Genma had traveled through the outskirts of a desert a few years back, but Ranma wasn't sure how Ukyo had deduced that, or why she would have brought it up now.  "It was actually a short cut," he returned.

                "A short cut.  Right."  Ukyo shook her head.  "Well, at least you learned how to fight for an hour under the desert sun without getting wiped out.  Is it some kind of chi trick or something?  I remember you were sweating pretty heavily there towards the end."

                NOW it made sense.  "If you noticed that, didn't ya also notice me slowing down and not hitting so hard, or jumping around almost any?"

                "Yeah, I did.  Thanks for taking it easy on me when I started to run low."

                Ranma hesitated just for an instant, then yielded to temptation.  Despite the glaring heat and light, and utter lack of moisture at their battleground (he'd chosen it for those very qualities, after all, so that their new abilities wouldn't interfere with the sparring session), he'd had a lot of fun with Ukyo this morning.  It had brought back pleasant memories of their rough-and-tumble days as kids, sparring and running around and having a blast.  Furthermore, his mind reasoned, back then she'd thought he knew she was a girl, and she hadn't minded a bit not getting treated delicately, like Pop had always said girls should.  And so now he bopped her lightly on the head, getting a tiny bit of payback for the treatment he'd occasionally received for making a dumb remark.

                "What was that for?!" Ukyo wanted to know.

                "I was plenty tired too, out in the desert," Ranma explained.  "It's just that once we were back here, my water healing kicked in.  That's what I meant about different skills."  He'd rehydrated her, too, once she was in the ocean, but restoring the water she'd lost had been all he could do to help her recover.

                "Oh.  Right."  She let out a long breath, then closed her eyes and leaned back, letting her body continue regaining its strength.

                Amiable silence fell, lasting some few minutes.  At the end of that time, Ukyo opened her eyes again.  "Feeling better?" Ranma asked.

                "Yeah," she replied.  "I'm not wiped out anymore, at least.  It's more of a good kind of tired, now."

                "So no second thoughts yet, huh?" Ranma asked, half teasingly, half seriously.  "Still so hot on sharing stuff?"

                "Yep," Ukyo affirmed cheerfully.  "You get me out in the fresh air sweating my butt off as we push on together with martial arts, and then I'll cook us up enough okonomiyaki afterward to replace all the calories we burned.  Sounds like a pretty good package deal to me."

                Ranma grinned.  "Now you're talkin'!"

                Still, though, he wasn't quite ready yet for that meal.  They had eaten breakfast less than two hours ago, after all.  The pigtailed teen leaned back and relaxed, letting the sun warm him for a moment, then calling a puff of spray from the ocean to settle on him in a refreshing mist, then repeating the process a few more times for good measure.  After awhile he just sat there, relaxing, contemplating the scene before him.  It looked so different in daylight...

                "Hey, Ucchan?"

                "Hmmmm?"  With a start, Ukyo awoke from a light doze.  "What is it?" she yawned.

                "Just wondering something.  You remember that one dream you sent me, way back when?  It was right after Mousse's last stand," he clarified.  "You brought us here, and afterward you'd said there was a reason for it, but it wasn't that you were wanting to swim.  I was just wondering what that was?"

                "Oh.  It just... felt right," she replied, a little reluctantly.  "This beach has a lot of memories for me, Ranchan.  I... I spent a lot of time here, training, after you and Genma left.  Lot of dark, hurting times... but I at least managed to work out some of the pain through the years."  She shrugged.  "Guess that's why it seemed appropriate--cause I was going to help you work through a really bad hurt too."

                "So that's it," Ranma mused.  "Kinda like we've come full circle now, though.  I mean, here we are... you ain't on this beach by yourself anymore... today's gonna be a better memory, right?"

                Ukyo smiled fiercely.  "You got that right, sugar."

                Ranma lapsed into silence again, thinking about what she'd said.  After a bit, these thoughts led him to others...

                Glancing over, he saw that Ukyo was once more drowsing.  "C'mon, Ucchan," he chided her.  "Up and at 'em.  You've got a restaurant to open in another hour and a half."

                She forced her eyes open again, over their indignant protests.  "Mmmmm."  The chef gave a long, languorous stretch, nowhere near alert enough to notice the way Ranma's eyes widened or the way he jerked his head around a couple of seconds later.  "Talk to me, okay?" she said through a yawn.  "Or I'll just fall asleep again."

                '_Let's see... something that'll get her mind going enough to keep her awake..._'  Something that would get his mind off that last image, that would allow him to forget that Ukyo no longer wore her chest binding except to Furinkan... oh yeah, the question he had been going to ask her should work.  "Okay.  What do you think I should do next?"

                Ukyo blinked, concentrated, dragged a few more of her mental faculties back on-line.  "What's that?  What to do next?"

                "Yeah.  You know."  Although he suspected it was probably safe to do so, Ranma hadn't yet turned back to face her.  He stared forward, out toward the sea, past the crashing waves to the calmer water farther away.  "You know I sent that letter to the Tendos already, telling 'em I'm never gonna let them hitch me to Akane again."

                "Yeah.  They've probably gotten it by now," Ukyo mused, counting back to the day he'd put the letter in the mail.  "Why don't you check?"

                "Sure."  The next wave towered rather higher than its predecessors, running up the beach just far enough to spend itself a few inches from their feet.  As it did so, a small portion broke free, flowing farther in all defiance of gravity, puddling between Ranma and Ukyo.  Ranma concentrated, and suddenly the image of the letter he'd written filled the pool.  "Looks like it did make it to the Tendos," he said, recognizing from the background that the missive was resting on a table in Soun's room.  "And..." the image shifted, finding and centering on the Tendo patriarch, "...he ain't crying his eyes out.  Which is frankly a lot better luck than I expected."

                "Doesn't look all panicked or desperate or angry either," Ukyo noted.  "Not even as if he's all that surprised, really.  Maybe I was wrong after all."

                "Wrong about what?"

                "Back when I told you that if you waited a week and went back to the Tendos, everything could pretty much go back to the way it was before."

                Ranma snorted.  "Like I'd've wanted that anyway.  No thank you, Ucchan.  Still..."  He looked thoughtfully down into the water again.  "He really don't seem bent out of shape at all.  It'd be nice if after all this stuff is done and settled, I could still be friends with them."

                Ukyo gave him a strange look, which went unnoticed.  "You can still say that?  After all the junk they dumped on you, after the way they just stood by and didn't do jack to help you out?"

                "That's not really true," he protested.  "Kasumi did help me, sometimes.  In fact, she'd been doing that more often these days."  He made a contemplative sort of sound.  "Wonder if maybe she knew I was getting near the end of my rope."

                "Hmmm.  I never saw any of that," Ukyo confessed.  "She always seemed really sweet to me, sure, but I never saw her actually step forward or try to make a difference or anything."

                "It was kinda rare," Ranma admitted.  "But she did sometimes.  Heck, even Nabiki could have her moments.  And Akane..." he sighed.  "I'd give a lot to have just had her as a friend.  If Mr. Tendo finally wised up enough to forget the stupid engagement, that's good.  It's only about a year and half later than he should've."

                "They've been a part of your life for a long time," Ukyo allowed.  "Guess I can see why you wouldn't want to just walk away forever."  Even though she personally would have been MORE than happy to follow that course.

                "Yeah," he said.  "And it's the same thing for Shampoo.  Heck, even Kaori and Kaede, and I haven't known them near as long.  I'd give so much to keep them all as friends, but that ain't the F-word they're interested in."

                "Are you sure?  I agree, that's obviously true for Shampoo.  But maybe it'll be different for Kaori and Kaede?  I mean, like you said, they haven't been around all that long.  Heck, Kaori even gave up once before!  You sure you couldn't just sit down and talk to them about this, tell them what you just told me?"

                Ranma gave her a Look.  "And when did I suddenly get all good at talking to girls and persuading them to do something they don't want to?"

                "Ummm... well... you haven't been doing so bad talking to one girl today, you know," Ukyo said, trying to look on the bright side.

                "'Cept she completely misunderstood me a little earlier in this conversation," Ranma pointed out.  "Just cause _you_ don't get bent outta shape when that happens, doesn't mean I'd be so lucky with anyone else."

                Ukyo resisted the urge to go for a glomp.  "Still.  Have you ever really tried, Ranma?  I understand what you're saying about it probably not being that easy.  But I think it could still be the right thing to do even if it doesn't work."

                He favored her with an extremely dubious stare.  "Run that by me again.  Even if it doesn't work it's still a good idea?"

                "It _could_ be," Ukyo amended.  "It's just... think about it this way, Ranchan.  What're things like right now?"

                "It's kind of a stalemate," he answered.  "For now, everything's on hold.  And as soon as I go back and do something, that'll all be over."

                "But doing nothing isn't an option either.  I mean, not forever anyway.  Sooner or later you've got to get back in the action, right?"

                "Yeah," he confirmed, "but I was kinda hoping that I could hold off until I had ideas on how to deal with everything.  I wanted to hit 'em all at once, you know?  Move in fast, take 'em all down before they knew what was happening."  That way he could take advantage of the offer she'd made, and let Ucchan call in her debt to Kaede.  If he'd taken care of everything else by then, it wouldn't matter anymore if that solution blew their cover.

                Ukyo considered that for a few moments.  "Sounds like a good idea in theory, sugar.  But it's already been two weeks.  How much longer can you really afford to wait?"  She hesitated, then said, "Think about how they're feeling, after you just dropped off the map.  I know I'd rather hear the truth one way or another than just a long, long stretch of silence.  And even if that doesn't work, even if you don't convince them, it'd still get the ball rolling again.  No more stalemate.  No more leaving everyone's lives on hold."

                Ranma suppressed a sigh, remembering a time not too long past when he'd scryed out Kaori and had seen unhappiness fairly radiating from her.  "I guess you're right," he allowed unenthusiastically.  "Who do you think I should talk to first?"

                "Shampoo."

                "No way."

                Ukyo blinked, surprised at the adamant tone of his refusal.  "Why not Shampoo?  She's the one with the biggest stake there, Ranma, been around the longest, chased you the hardest.  And think about how she'll feel if you go to the other two and tell them you're not interested, and she finds out about it before you go tell her the same thing?  She'll think you're dumping everyone else to be with her, and then when you tell her no she'll be devastated."

                Ranma grimaced, not particularly wanting to admit that he hadn't even considered that angle.  "Well... for one thing, she and the old ghoul ain't even in town right now.  They're off on a training journey.  Remember, I keep track of all the usual nutcases so I don't run into them when I have to get out on the streets back home."

                "You could've told me that, you know."

                "It slipped my mind," he admitted.  "So if I was gonna go fess up to Kaori and Kaede, she wouldn't hear about it too soon after all.  And truth be told, I'd rather have a little more practice with my powers under my belt before I go up against Three Thousand Years of Amazon Law.  Cause I don't see her granny just sitting back and taking this quietly.  I mean, I think I could take her now, but with another week of practicing it'd be practically a sure thing."

                Ukyo opted not to respond to that last statement.  "Well... hmmm.  If you want my advice, I'd suggest talking to Kaori first, then.  After all, she gave up once before.  She's probably the better choice to start with, instead of Kaede."

                "You're prob'ly right."  Ranma fell silent, trying to imagine how the conversation would go, casting about for the best, clearest, firmest, most sensitive way to get it across that he wasn't going to honor the 'promise' made by his father.

                "And look on the bright side, Ranchan.  If you come across as all insensitive and stuff, she might even be glad to get out of the engagement," Ukyo said hopefully.

                '_I dunno, that didn't work at all when I tried it on you_...' Ranma thought.  Of course, he still wasn't sure who had been fooling whom that time; his performance during the affair of her secret sauce had suffered quite a bit due to his utter lack of acting skills.  He just wasn't all that good at showing himself as something he wasn't.  

                Still, it felt as if there was some kind of idea there on how to deal with Kaori, not one focused on him, not trying to show him as something other than he was or wasn't... it felt like it went further back...

                Slowly, a smile spread across his face.  "Maybe, Ucchan.  It's worth a shot, right?"

***************

                '_No time like the present._'

                '_Might as well get it over with._'

                '_Run, Think, Attack.  That's how it goes.  Ain't gonna be like my old man, and just stop at step one._'

                These thoughts and other, similar ones echoed through Ranma's mind as he moved purposefully through the streets.  The litany was meant to instill confidence, determination, and a burning sense of righteous surety, to convince himself that he was doing the right thing, and that this was the right time to do it.

                It wasn't exactly succeeding at all counts.  But he was at least managing to stick to his decision, to go now and confront Kaori.

                He'd let Ukyo make her own way back to the restaurant.  She would be opening in another hour's time; he hoped to have this matter wrapped up quickly enough to get back there with good news before she did.  He wasn't counting on it, didn't really think it was likely, but at least he could hope.  And really, wasn't there reason to hope? he asked himself, trying to psyche himself further up, trying to get a little enthusiasm for his task.  If he played his cards right, he might finally solve one problem, and maybe he could even keep a friend afterward.  Wasn't that opportunity worth a little excitement?  After all, in these last few weeks he really HAD had some significant good fortune, a lot more than had ever come his way before.  Was it that impossible to believe that his luck might finally be changing for good?

                "Ranma, m'boy!  It's been quite a while, hasn't it?"

                The pigtailed teen froze, let slip a few silent curses against whatever kami had apparently been offended by his attempt at optimism, gave himself a mental boot to the head for not bothering to scry for possible interference, then slowly turned.  Sure enough, there beside him stood the Grandmaster of the School of Anything Goes, the least welcome guest the Tendo household had ever known, the single greatest lecher in all of Japan... Happosai.  "Yo, gramps.  Sure has."  This said in a tone that left no doubt whatsoever that however long it had been, hadn't been long enough.  "Where's your big bag of stolen lingerie?  Don't tell me you're finally gettin' respectable in your old age."

                Happosai waved one hand dismissively.  "Don't be absurd.  I already stopped by Soun's place and put all my newest beauties in my collection where they belong."  He paused, giving Ranma a shrewd, sidelong glance.  "The atmosphere around that dump wasn't all that pleasant, let me tell you."

                "Akane's cooking this early in the day?!"  The Saotome heir knew objectively that that wasn't any concern of his any longer, but he couldn't quite control the reflexive clenching of his gut.

                "No, no, nothing like that."  If that had been the case, he certainly wouldn't have stuck around for the hours it had taken to properly store his newest acquisitions.  "I meant something a little deeper, more significant."

                By now Ranma had resumed walking again.  "Yeah, well, ain't my problem no more, whatever you're talking about."

                "But that's just it," Happosai replied, ambling along beside him.  "That's exactly what I'm talking about.  I could tell by the feel of the place that you and Genma hadn't been there for weeks."  He paused, waiting for Ranma's response.  The pigtailed teen just shrugged, and kept on walking.

                "Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" Happosai snapped.

                "Didn't the Tendos say enough..."  Ranma let the sentence trail off, struck by a sudden odd note.  It had been less than half an hour since he scryed out Soun, and the older man hadn't shown any signs of the disappointment that ought to have been there.  Happosai had been gone for months on his latest little jaunt; surely the fact that he'd finally returned should have sent Soun to the depths of despair.  What was going on?

                "I didn't bother talking to any of them," Happosai answered his unspoken question as well as the one Ranma had partially uttered.  "Figured it was more important to go straight to my heir and find out for myself what was going on."

                Ranma snorted, a sound loud and bitter enough to encompass all the grief Happosai had caused him since his arrival in Nerima.  "Whatever, gramps."  Substituting that word for the string of epithets that he'd really wanted to use took most of the self-restraint he had available.  "Go ask my old man, if you can dig him up.  I'm busy right now, trying to clean up the mess he left for me."

                "I'm serious, Ranma," Happosai replied quietly.  "I need to talk with you now."

                "And I'm serious too, you old goat!"  This was NOT the time for this stupid reunion, Ranma snarled mentally.  Not when he was finally trying to settle things with Kaori!  He didn't need any more interruptions, certainly not from this disreputable old fool who still somehow seemed to be laboring under the delusion that he had anything worth Ranma's time.  "Go buy the latest developments from Nabiki or something.  I ain't got time right now."

                "Is that right.  Don't have time for your master, eh?  Why don't you just skip away then, Ranma m'boy?  Jump halfway across town into the canal, or halfway across the world into the ocean?"

                There was a very long, very tense, very ominous moment of silence.  At last, with a sort of gulping gasp, Ranma broke it.  "What did you say?"

                "You heard me."  Happosai wasn't even bothering to look at him now.  He had stopped a half pace further along from the point where Ranma stood frozen in his tracks.  The ancient grandmaster had just retrieved his pipe from within the confines of his outfit, and was now tamping tobacco down into it.  Once he had it lit, he took a long drag, then said, "Come along, boy, this isn't something to discuss in the middle of the street."  With that, he began walking again, strolling along at a carefree pace.

                Ranma continued motionless for some little time.  What to do?  What choice did he have?  Should he go now, hear what Happosai had to say?  Should he teleport away, get to a phone, and call and warn Ukyo?  But if Happosai knew about him, surely he knew about her as well... and if he left, the ancient lecher might just head over to Ucchan's Okonomiyaki in search of a secondary target.  At the speed the freak moved, Ranma knew Happosai could be there quicker than he himself could even find a telephone...

                The Anything Goes Grandmaster had covered nearly a block's distance before Ranma lurched into motion again, hurrying reluctantly along behind the old man.

                It didn't take long to catch up to him.  "Listen, you old freak..." Ranma began, then paused, uncertain just how to continue.

                Happosai turned, shot him a glare.  "I thought I said this isn't something to talk about in the middle of the street.  Is that somehow too complicated for you to understand?"

                Ranma gritted his teeth.  "What I was gonna SAY is, let's move a little faster, huh?  It ain't exactly good for anybody's image to be seen walkin' on the street in broad daylight with the likes of you."

                "Very well, boy, why don't I just tell you where I'm going.  I thought the soccer field at Furinkan would be a private enough place for this discussion."

                The Saotome heir hesitated, then nodded, reluctantly conceding the point.  It was the general consensus among the student body that the five-day-a-week class schedule was the only good thing to come out of the principal's Hawaii fixation.  _Nobody_ went to Furinkan when they didn't have to; the place was as dead as a mausoleum on the weekends.   Barring Ryoga stumbling in on them or something, there should be no chance of anyone else overhearing.  And it wasn't even out of his way, not that he supposed his so-called 'master' cared about that.

                "Fine, I'll meet ya there."  He leaped, making his way to the rooftops, and headed toward the school.

***************

                It was a little annoying to find Happosai there waiting for him already, but at this point Ranma was past caring.

                "Took you long enough," the ancient lecher commented, breathing out a long stream of smoke.

                Well, almost past caring.

                "Look, _master_," Ranma found new reserves of sarcasm and tapped them all, pouring every last bit he could muster into that word, "I really was in the middle of something important.  Not just to me, either.  There's a beautiful young girl's happiness at stake here, and while we stick around and talk she's stuck in a hole, not knowing where to turn or what to do.  Is this really more important than me helping her out?"

                "Well, I don't know, Ranma."  His words had piqued Happosai's interest, at least.  "What girl, and what were you going to do for her?"

                "You don't know her.  It's a new fiancée, another one of my old man's dumb promises.  And I was gonna talk to her and make her see her honor really ain't on the line here, and tell her that I'm not letting Pops ruin my life or hers or anybody else's."

                Happosai took another drag on his pipe, and concealed his mounting anger.  So on top of everything else, it looked like this young pup was actually seriously thinking for himself and trying to work his way through his problems... and if he'd found the guts to leave the Tendos for good, then he might even manage the rest of it.  Which was a full one hundred eighty degrees away from Happosai's own plans for him.

                Ranma had the most potential he'd seen in over a hundred years.  Happosai knew the boy was proud of his skills, proud of his status as the heir to the _Saotome_ Anything Goes school... but he was quite certain Ranma didn't spend much time considering his status as Happosai's own heir.  After all, he'd never trained the boy, never indicated that _he_ took it seriously.  But to Happosai, it was... or had been... a very serious matter indeed.  He had been determined not to let someone of this caliber slip by, adamant that he would be the one who ultimately shaped Ranma's development as a martial artist.  And he would do it on his own terms.

                Due to the boy's stubborn pride, that meant letting him break, and picking up the pieces afterward.

                The presence of the Amazons had complicated things, of course, and was a significant reason Happosai hadn't often taken a personal hand in driving the boy along to that breaking point.  After all, when he sealed Ranma's strength his old flame Cologne had taught her 'son-in-law' another Amazon secret and helped him recover, and had asked nothing at all in return.  Later, after all the furor had died down, Happosai had realized just how badly all that could have backfired on him.  Only Ranma's stubborn nature and lack of experience in thinking things through had brought the boy through that episode without the status quo being significantly altered.  Happosai had never again tried anything that drastic, content generally to watch and wait until his heir broke down on his own.

                Fortunately, at least from Happi's perspective, he didn't really need to intervene personally at all.  Even the trip he'd just taken (in which he'd sought out a couple more of Ranma's fiancées and arranged for them to learn of the Saotome heir's whereabouts) had been more of a pleasure jaunt than a task that needed doing.  There was already more than enough chaos and strife in the boy's life, and the stubbornness and arrogance that Genma had instilled in him, the qualities that currently made him so unsuitable as a student, also made it very difficult for him to reach out to others for help or even acknowledge that he might need to.  The Anything Goes grandmaster didn't really need to drive Ranma along to destruction, not when he was drifting down that road of his own free clueless will.

                And so Happi had mainly just stood back and watched, only taking a personal hand in things a few times, when he saw a really good opportunity, or when the boy had gotten on his nerves really badly, or when he really felt like it.  He'd watched and waited, knowing that his time would come soon enough.  And then, _then_ the real training would begin.  Would have begun.  No, hearing that Ranma might finally be striking out and standing up for himself, might finally be learning from and abandoning his mistakes, was not an experience the Grandmaster of the Anything Goes school had expected to have waiting for him when he returned.

                But then again, Happosai reminded himself, that was then, and this was now.  And there were worse surprises than Ranma growing up.

                "She'll still be there this afternoon," Happosai responded evenly, not letting any of these feelings show through to his face.  "This is a little more important."  He fell silent again, leaving a gap in the conversation for Ranma to fill.

                "Standing around an' staring at each other's more important than me talking to Kaori?" Ranma asked sarcastically after a few moments of silence had passed.

                Happosai felt just a little bit more of his composure slip away.  "I'm trying to decide how much to tell you."

                "How about the whole thing?"

                '_Not a chance._'  Happosai paused a bit longer, partially considering where to begin, partially hoping that Ranma still might start blurting out stuff on his own if given a chance.

                The ancient lecher's patience ended well before this could happen.  "All right, let me start by asking you something.  We've known each other for awhile now, Ranma.  How many things do you think I take seriously?"

                Well, that was an easy question.  "Women's underwear."  Ranma wasn't sure he _wanted _to know how that tied in to his recent Water empowerment.

                Happosai snorted.  "That's it?  That's all you think I care about?"  Ranma just shrugged, and Happosai snorted again.  "If you don't even see that I'm serious about enjoying life, then you're an even bigger fool than Genma."

                "I thought I covered that bit with my answer," Ranma retorted.

                The ancient lecher waved his pipe dismissively.  "That's just one part of it.  Anyway, there are other things too.  The Anything Goes school I founded is important as well."  Ranma gave him a dubious look, but didn't comment.  Which was just as well, since Happosai was certainly not ready to admit to the steps he had taken and had planned to take in order to further said school.  "These days, that's about it," he continued.  "When I was younger, more things seemed important.  I'm sure you understand that."

                Ranma blinked, not having expected anything that insightful from this particular individual.  "I guess."  After a second's reflection, though, he wasn't sure how much he bought the idea that Happosai had been that different in his youth.  After all, during that business with the Nanban mirror, he'd _seen_ Happosai not much older than Ranma's own current age, and as far as he could tell the only real difference between that Happosai and this one was fewer wrinkles, more hair, and a vast gap in skill.

                As if sensing those thoughts, Happosai spoke again.  "I've had my share of causes and concerns in my younger days, Ranma.  Most of them, well, now that I'm older and wiser I look back and realize they didn't matter nearly as much as I thought.

                "Most of them.  But not all."

                The Saotome heir did his best to ignore the cold prickling running down the back of his neck.  With that last sentence, Happosai's gaze had sharpened and hardened beyond belief.  "Yeah?  Go on," Ranma said, speaking with a little difficulty due to the sudden lack of moisture in his throat.

                "It was about one hundred and fifty years ago," Happosai replied.  "A couple of sorcerers stumbled over a secret that was much too big for them to handle.  They didn't see it that way, of course."

                "What secret?"

                For another long moment, Happosai hesitated, wondering whether to tell the truth or whip up a plausible lie.  On the one hand, the truth behind this matter was just about the best-kept secret of creation that he'd ever learned.  Letting a seventeen-year-old kid in on it rubbed him the wrong way, just a little.  On the other, there wasn't really anything Ranma could _do_ with this knowledge; telling him wouldn't pose any actual risk.

                Deciding that he didn't feel like putting forth the effort necessary to craft a believable lie, Happosai replied, "They located and made contact with one of the pillars."

                "Pillars?" Ranma prompted, wishing the old fart wouldn't keep making these vague, ominous statements and then pausing after them.  "What's that supposed to mean?"

                " 'Pillar' is the term used for some incredibly powerful spirits.  Each one stands for a particular piece of existence."  Happosai waved one hand in a rough circle, indicating the sky and the ground.  "Such as the elements.  Earth and air and fire and water and light and darkness.  The pillar you saw represents those, and various things tied to them, as I'm sure you already figured out."

                "Yeah, yeah, that ain't exactly a revelation, gramps.  What're the other pillars?" Ranma asked.

                "I believe Craft is one of them.  It's the spirit of orderly rational thought, creative genius, the arts, the sciences, basically all the skills we learn and practice and build on."

                "Huh," Ranma said, considering that, wondering for a moment just how far he could take the Art if he could ever track down that particular entity.  "What're the others?"

                "I don't know them all, boy, and what makes you think I'd tell you if I did?"  Happosai snorted.  "I'd lived through more than a hundred years of seeking knowledge and wisdom before I learned these secrets.  And you want me to just hand it all over to you?!  Bah!  Kids these days."

                "Gee, that's funny," Ranma retorted.  "I kinda thought I remembered _you_ telling _me_ to come out here so you could tell me this stuff."

                "I'll tell you what's important for you," Happosai snapped back.  "The pillars exist, and that's ALL they're supposed to do.  Each one acts like an anchor, so to speak, grounding the things it stands for firmly in the real world.  Giving hard boundaries and rules to the concepts.  Their existence does that, they don't have to take any actions to keep things going properly or anything, it's not like that old myth of Fate as three women weaving threads into a tapestry."

                "So their job is just to sit around?  That sounds boring," Ranma commented.

                Happosai pounced on the opening.  "Boring for a human, yes, of course.  But the pillars aren't human, they don't think like we do, they don't understand us, we don't understand them.  Surely you saw this for yourself?"  Ranma nodded.  "And yet two fools with more skill than wisdom to use it managed to contact one.  Managed to strike some kind of bargain with it that neither side really understood."

                Now he was beginning to feel the stirrings of real fear.  "What bargain?" Ranma asked.

                "People would come before the Elemental pillar, and it would give them whatever power it decided would fit them best."

                A long moment of silence passed, as Ranma waited for the other shoe to drop.  Eventually, he said, "That's it?"

                "What else do you NEED, Ranma?"

                "Oh, I don't know, how about AN EXPLANATION THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE!!"  Ranma paused a minute, breathing heavily, then said, "If you got something important to say, say it.  Otherwise I'm out of here."

                Happosai fixed him with another diamond-edged glare, noting, with more than a little anger, that this one had rather less effect.  "That would be Genma's influence, I suppose," he snapped.  "Not thinking things through, or even bothering to try.  What did you have to give up, to get your Water powers?"

                "Nothing," Ranma replied, confusion taking the barest edge off his irritation.

                "Nothing at all?  My, my.  All that power, and you didn't work for it at all.  Didn't struggle, didn't learn lessons about restraint, just got it all dumped right onto you free of charge?"  Happosai concentrated, summoning his battle aura, then let it surge up into a Ranma-sized version of himself.  This let him appear to look the Anything Goes heir straight in the eyes as he said, "What do you think would happen if one of your rivals had gotten this power, instead of yourself?  Think you'd enjoy facing a Tatewaki Kuno who could turn himself into living Fire?!"

                Ranma fought off a full-body shudder.  Glad that he might finally be getting through to his heir, Happosai released the technique and spoke again.  "And even then, it's different for you and your friends.  You're all martial artists, you train, you sacrifice, you are already more powerful than normal people think it's possible to be.  How _do_ you think a normal boy or girl or man or woman would react to this?  Someone who's trudged their way through life, resenting the way there's always outside forces pushing them around, people or principles that they'd like to get out from under, but have never been able to?  Ordinary people who haven't ever had the courage to learn to fight, and suddenly all this wonderful new power gets dropped on them out of the blue?

                "I'll tell you what happens.  It may take a little while, but sooner or later they decide the only rules that apply to them any longer are the ones they _want_ to apply.  And after that, you'd better hope that they've got the sweet and gentle disposition of our dear little Kasumi, because their own character is the only thing going to hold them back anymore."

                "Okay, maybe I can see that," Ranma replied grudgingly.  The idea of Hiroshi or Daisuke with this kind of power wasn't nearly as bad as Kuno, but it was nonetheless a very scary thought.  "Is that what you wanted to tell me?  Don't let anyone else in on this?  I wasn't going to."

                "Glad to hear it," Happosai stated flatly.  Actually, though, he wasn't glad at all.  He'd hoped for a much more favorable response than this.  Ranma should have admitted the error of his ways already!  He should have apologized for this terrible mistake he'd made!  He should be asking now how he could make amends, a question Happi would be only too happy to answer!

                However, it seemed as if the truth hadn't been enough to get the boy to that point.  Time to try the other method, the lie that had succeeded in turning a few of those old elementally-empowereds against their fellows.  "That's only one piece of the picture, though."

                "And what's that supposed to mean?"

                "It goes back to what I said about what the pillars should and shouldn't do.  They were never meant to take an active role like this.  If something doesn't understand humans, how can it possibly NOT cause problems if it messes around with them?"

                Ranma frowned.  "Look, are you tryin' to say there's something wrong with me?"

                "Exactly!" Happosai retorted.  "I thought you were a better martial artist than this, Ranma!  I thought you at least understood that balance is important.  And you've thrown yours away, or at least you let it get taken away, and you don't even care!"

                "Balance?"  True, just now he was feeling unbalanced, but that certainly wasn't the fault of his elemental empowerment.  "What're you talking about, you senile old coot?"

                "I'm getting pretty tired of your lip, boy," Happosai warned.  Ordinarily this warning would have been delivered with a bit of physical emphasis.  However, as long as there remained a possibility of getting Ranma's willing cooperation, it was worth restraining himself.  "Can't you think for yourself?  Can't you even try?!  Surely you understand that this power you got only covers a few aspects of life.  Those few things have been strengthened and built up within you so far that your center is all out of whack!  And you just rushed on into it!"  Tears sprang into his eyes.  "How could you do it, Ranma?  Fate had dumped a blessing on you beyond other men's wildest dreams!  And you just throw it away, throw away your female side and all the strength and harmony and beauty that you'd had given to you!!"  Happosai pulled out a hanky and blew his nose.  "This so-called 'gift' destroyed the _real_ gift you'd been given at Jusenkyo, and that right there should've made it clear just how wrong it is!"

                Ranma heaved one long, weary sigh of disgust.  This from a perverted old freak of nature who had to glomp women in order to survive.  Like he was gonna believe ANYTHING about balance from somebody whose yin and yang were that messed up.  "That's it.  I've heard enough.  See you later, or better yet, never."  He reached out, focused, and invoked the particular mental twist that would shift him to the Nerima canal.

                Nothing happened.

                After a few moments of blank shock, he tried again.  Still nothing.  Again... again...

                "Are you ready to listen now?" Happosai asked, in a low, dangerous tone.

                Slowly, Ranma's eyes tracked around, to fasten on the ancient grandmaster.  "What'd you do?" he whispered.

                "I'm blocking your power.  Think of it as an illustration of what I was just talking about.  You're unbalanced; all I have to do is use my aura to push yours a little further out of whack, and suddenly you can't use any of those lovely little tricks that I'm sure you've already started to depend on."

                '_Damn.  Looks like I owe Ucchan an apology,_' Ranma thought, struggling through his shock with some difficulty.  "And you think putting me down like that's gonna make me believe you?  Just cause you know some technique I don't?!  Forget it, gramps, one thing Pop did teach me was that might don't equal right!"

                "You're citing that fool Genma now?!  I suppose it fits, since you're just running your mouth and not using your mind."

                "I heard you AND I understood what you were saying!" Ranma yelled.  "And it's a bunch of crap!  Jusenkyo curses are some kind of _gift_?!  Oh, no, not everybody's, just mine, cause it gave me a hot curvy little body for you to glomp on.

                "You got it dead backwards, you old freak, and I know that for a fact.  Jusenkyo's the curse.  The power I got now is the gift.  I tracked down Ryoga and cured his curse too, and you know what?  I could _feel_ the disgusting thing, feel Water in him mixed with something that should never have been there!!"

                "That was Fire," Happosai replied evenly.  In point of fact, he was only guessing at that, based on what he'd experienced of the various elemental powers one hundred and fifty years ago, but he spoke as confidently as if he knew his words were true.  "And you just proved my point all over again.  Jusenkyo--Fire and Water, balanced.  In harmony.  Harmony that's so far from where you are now that you cannot accept it."

                "Tell it to Ryoga, or Shampoo," Ranma countered.  "One splash of water and they lose everything they've worked for all their life!  Oh, wait, that's not true for Ryoga no more, is it?  Nope, he got cured... by my Water powers."  He grimaced.  "Just quit wasting your time and mine, gramps, you ain't gonna convince me 'bout any of this.  Not when I haven't seen you be right even once in all the time I've known ya."

                "Haven't seen...?" Happosai spluttered.  "You miserable little punk!  This world would be nothing like it is today without me!  Without me and my friends, because we stood up and fought this... this ABOMINATION that you embraced!  And you dare to stand there and look down on me?  On my comrades who DIED fighting to wipe out this power, and keep the world stable?!"

                "Died?  It went that far?" Ranma choked out, his entire body tensing, subconsciously preparing for flight.  "You killed people just for doing what I did?"

                "And what _have_ you done so far?" Happosai countered.  "I felt you scry me out.  You said you cured Ryoga's curse.  Anything else?  Anything selfish, pushing other people down to lift yourself up?"

                "No!" Ranma snarled.

                "Then no, we didn't kill people for doing what you did," Happosai replied.  He let Ranma start to relax before continuing, "We did it to protect the future.  To keep a level playing field, like I already said, to prevent there being some 'master race' that would set themselves up above everyone else _without even trying_."

                "And that's what you think I am?  Gonna try and kill me too?!"

                "Don't be ridiculous, boy."  If Happosai had had his pipe handy, he would have taken a long pull, then blown a smoke ring.  As it was, he had to settle for a mild tone of voice in order to push Ranma back from the nerve-jangling edge of readiness.  "I can't say I'm happy that the heir to the Anything Goes school has thrown away a gift that a _real_ man would kill to have, but that's your problem.  Not mine.  All I care about is the future, and protecting it from what apparently could still happen."

                A frown crossed his face again, and the mild tone shifted into a growl.  He wasn't looking directly at Ranma, though, and the signs of anger were directed elsewhere as well.  "We thought we'd gotten them all, dammit.  Every last one of those accursed keys.  But I guess one slipped our notice somehow."  And, a nagging little voice whispered in the back of his mind, if one, why not two?  Or three?  Happi didn't want to think about it, didn't want to consider the fact that this last unexpected resurgence of a threat he'd thought long dead might NOT be the last at all.

                Forcing his mind away from such gloomy thoughts, he focused on Ranma again.  "All I want from you is the key, boy.  The scepter you used to go to the pillar entity.  And don't try to pass off some fake, I know exactly what it looks like.  About this long," he gestured, "carved with runes, and made out of wood."  Wood from a tree rooted in the earth, reaching up to the air, cloaked in the night and bathed in the light of day, nourished by rain, and brought down by lightning.  Even after all these decades, the details were still there, all the memories from the greatest and most terrible series of battles he'd lived through, the legacy of a time when he and other masters had stood up and said, This will not be the path the world takes, it was all coming back now, stronger than ever.

                "The key," Ranma repeated unenthusiastically.  "You want me to fetch that stick--the thing that opens the door to that kinda power--and give it to you."

                "That's right.  They aren't easy to destroy, but I still remember how."  Still more than halfway lost in his memories, Happosai missed the odd note with which his heir apparent had spoken.

                After a long pause, Ranma replied, "Well, guess I'll be going then."

                "Excuse me?"  THAT got Happi's attention.  "Going?  I don't think so."

                Ranma frowned.  "Uh, didn't you just tell me to get the rod and bring it to you?  I'm not carrying it on me, you know!"

                The ancient lecher snorted.  "I'm quite well aware of that, Ranma.  But you're still linked to it, ever since you used it.  Just concentrate on the key and call it to yourself.  It'll come."

                Ranma hesitated for a long moment, then said, "I don't believe you."

                "Don't believe me?  You don't have to believe me, you little punk, just give it a try!  It'll come when you call."

                "That's not what I meant."  Ranma took a deep breath, resigning himself to the fact that he wasn't going to get out of here without a fight.  "I mean, I'm not sure I believe you're gonna destroy it at all.  You just said a lot of stuff about how bad it is to get power without earning it, but I ain't forgotten where Akane got her Super Soba noodles.  No way am I gonna turn something like that over to the likes of you."

                The cold realization of what the boy was implying had frozen Happosai in shock for several seconds.  After that faded, memories of the friends he'd outlived, who'd fallen in the battles a century and a half ago, had choked him into immobility.  And so Ranma was able to get his entire speech out, and even stand there staring at the motionless Happosai, clearly surprised at the ancient lecher's lack of response.

                That surprise turned to shock and pain a second later.  Happosai went from frozen stillness to blurring motion, whipping out his pipe, backing up the strike with chi, and smashing his heir to the ground with two broken ribs.

                Ranma gasped, nearly fainted, unable for the moment to cope with the speed with which things had changed.  That suited Happosai just fine.  The ancient grandmaster jumped forward, landing on Ranma's chest, controlling his landing enough to send waves of agony lancing up from Ranma's ribs without actually doing further damage.  "I'm through playing nice, boy.  I meant everything I said.  I told you I was going to destroy the key, and I am.  I told you how serious this matter is to me.  Not my fault you didn't listen or learn.  If you want to do it the hard way, that's just fine."

                The Saotome heir didn't say anything in response, just brought his right hand smashing around with all the strength and speed he could manage, driving in a blow that should have knocked Happosai far away from him.  The grandmaster wasn't caught off-guard, though; he hopped up and to the side, landing beside Ranma just after the boy's hand streaked through the air where he had been.  Happosai struck out with his pipe, catching Ranma's wrist and twisting, sending the pigtailed teen flying instead.

                He'd taken some care to ensure that Ranma would land on his unwounded side, care that actually backfired.  Ranma was able to gain control of his flight at the last second, twisting and landing on his feet.  For an instant the Saotome heir considered his options.  Happosai's throw had carried him toward the school, away from freedom; the Grandmaster of the Anything Goes school was between him and the clear shot to safety beyond Furinkan's walls.

                That instant was all he needed to decide.  He turned and ran, as hard and fast as he could.  He was through the window and inside the school before Happosai could recover from his shock.  Cursing under his breath at this latest development, and more than halfway suspecting Cologne had trained the boy to this new speed just to spite him, Happosai followed.

***************

                Once inside, Ranma slowed down only enough to avoid leaving an obvious trail.  He rocketed through classrooms and corridors, up one flight of stairs and down two others.  Blocking all awareness of pain and focusing everything he had to run at this speed without jarring his ribs, he ran, hoping he'd lost Happosai but not willing to bet on it, desperate to make it through the school to the relative safety of the open world beyond.  There--up ahead, he could see daylight!  The door at the end of the hallway stood open, giving him a clear view of the second-story window that was his ticket to freedom.  Abandoning any thought of stealth or caution, Ranma sped up to maximum.

                And then in an instant the light was gone, as Happosai, from his position one floor below, sent his battle aura arcing upward in a massive blade that sheared through the corridor thirty feet in front of Ranma, collapsing the doorway ahead of him into rubble.  Ranma skidded to a stop, turned (catching a glimpse of Happosai's shrunken form leaping up through the new hole in the floor), and barreled desperately back the way he'd come.

                Happosai pursued, moving even more quickly than Ranma could manage.  Sensing the narrowing of his lead, Ranma turned, rebounding off one wall to give him the sudden change of direction he needed to make a ninety-degree shift.  He smashed through another door, finding himself in the middle of a classroom.  Only then, when it was too late to do anything about it, did he realize that there was no other door out of this room...

                The Anything Goes Grandmaster paused in the outer corridor.  He could feel his reluctant heir's aura quite clearly from the room before him.  As long as Ranma wasn't running, Happi didn't particularly feel the need to run in after him.  After all, Ranma was still well within range of the aura technique that was blocking his Water abilities.  The ancient lecher had had thirty very unpleasant seconds at the beginning of this chase, when that hadn't been true; Ranma had been free and clear and could have teleported to the other side of the world if he'd felt like it.  Happosai was just glad the boy apparently hadn't been paying enough attention then to notice his broken ribs had healed, or to realize that this meant he'd momentarily slipped his leash.

                "Ranma!" he called out.  No response, other than he thought he sensed Ranma pressing farther against the far wall.  "Give it up, boy, I know you're there.  Just give me the key, and you're free to go."  When no answer came, he moved forward, and spoke again.  "I'm serious.  You know you can't fight me for real.  Save yourself some pain, and quit being such a stubborn fool."

                "GO TO HELL!!"

                Had he been facing almost anybody else, Ranma would never have done what he did next.  But this was Happosai, the freak who'd survived ten years without food, water, or light, who'd been blown up, bashed, slammed, smashed, force-fed medicine prepared by Akane, and sealed in a spirit-warded box less than one foot square and floated across the ocean.  Ranma seriously doubted ANYTHING he could do would kill the old lech.  And so with no further hesitation, and with no remorse at all, he darted forward, grabbed one desk in each hand, charged them with chi, and threw them as hard as he could.  They smashed through the large window just to the side of the door, made a sharp turn in accordance with the spin and energy he'd set on them, and slammed into Happosai.  Ranma, meanwhile, was running again, through the convenient hole his tactic had left in the window, out into the corridor and down it as fast as he could.

                "HAPPO FIRE BARRAGE!!"

                He didn't get far.

                The bombs exploded in a starburst pattern around him, none striking him directly with its full force, instead blasting him from all directions at once and stunning him.  His momentum kept him going for ten more feet, though this was spent tumbling along the floor rather than running on top of it.

                Happosai stalked over toward his fallen heir.  The grandmaster had concentrated all his aura around himself at the last minute, warding off what would surely otherwise have been a very painful impact.  This had necessitated dropping his block on Ranma's elemental abilities.  The fact that the little punk had forced him to gamble like that, had successfully bought himself an opportunity in which he could have fled (even if the boy hadn't grabbed it), grated quite harshly against Happosai.  HE was the Master here, and this snot-nosed little brat was going to acknowledge it!

                The ancient lecher let his battle aura bleed into the visible spectrum, surrounding himself with an unearthly glow.  In the dim light of the corridor, he looked like a demon crawled up from the pits of hell.  Once Ranma's eyes focused enough to track his motion, Happosai pulled out a large, not-yet-lit Happodaikarin.  "Hand over the rod, Ranma, or the next one goes down your shorts."

                "NOOOO!!!"

                The scream of fury was just warning enough to spare Happosai's life.  Desperately, without conscious thought, he shot away in a random evasive pattern.  One mini-spatula formed of solid Darkness did clip his shoulder, but the wound was insignificantly small.  The rest of them just ripped through air, wood, tile, steel, and concrete.

                Ukyo paused, torn between pressing the attack and checking up on Ranma.  As Happosai rebounded off two walls and came to rest some thirty feet down the corridor, staring at her in horrified realization, she made the decision.  The freak was no immediate threat; she needed to check and see whether Ranma was okay.  Zipping over to his side, Ukyo bent down over him, while still keeping one eye on Happosai.  "Ranchan, are you all right?!"

                "U- Ucchan?!  What the heck are you doing here?!" Ranma gasped.  He sat up, reaching out one hand to touch her arm as if unsure whether to believe the evidence of his eyes.

                "Sensed a massive glut of Lust and Anger right smack dab in the direction of the path you'd taken toward Kaori's," Ukyo responded.  "So I came out here to check, and I'm damn glad I did!  Are you okay?"

                "Yeah, I..." Ranma blinked, suddenly realizing that all his aches and pains were gone, and each of his ribs was firmly in one piece.  "Hey, my ribs aren't broken no more!"

                "Your..." Ukyo whirled, staring at Happosai with absolute fury.  "I should have ripped your mind apart with DESPAIR, you bastard!!"

                "May the kami burn your soul to ash!"  Happosai had found his voice again.  "You're ALREADY pulling in new converts, Ranma?!  Already dragging others into things that were never meant for humans?!"

                "Don't be stupid!" Ukyo retorted.  "I gave it to him, not the other way around!!"

                The emphatic nature of her response didn't really make much sense to Ranma, but he put off wondering about it until later (and later, he would learn that Ukyo was just reacting poorly to the thought of him deliberately setting her up for as much pain as she'd endured in her empowerment).  "What's it matter anyway, you old freak?"

                Any response Happosai might have been about to make was drowned out by Ukyo's sudden cry.  "What the...?  What's happened?!  I can't attack!"

                "He's prob'ly blocking your powers," her best friend explained, glaring down towards Happosai.  "Did that to me, earlier."  He raised his voice for the next sentence.  "But you can't do it to both of us at once, can ya?!"  More a rhetorical question than anything else; now that he was paying attention, he realized that he could once again sense the presence of water nearby, lying quiescent in lines and pipes all around him.  With a mental twist, those bonds were broken; the sound of shredding metal resounded from every direction, and then came the rushing waters.  They surged into the corridor, parting around Ranma and Ukyo (more for her benefit than his) and lashing forward toward Happosai.

                Ranma had never taken any kind of pleasure in bullying those weaker than himself.  But seeing Happosai's face twist in abject terror, followed by the ancient lecher bolting away at a speed too great for either of the teens to make out more than a blur, was quite satisfactory.

                Ukyo let out a sigh of relief as she suddenly was able to sense the darkness around her again.  "So what the hell was all that about, Ranchan?" she asked.

                "Tell you later," Ranma said.  "Let's just get out of here for now."

                "NOT A CHANCE!!"

                Happosai's roar drowned out Ukyo's shriek.  He'd used his Dimensional Warp technique to double back and get in position, and then dropped one chi technique to engage another.  He appeared out of thin air two paces behind Ukyo, a red glow already swirling around him that reached out to wrap her in a burning shell of pain.

                "LET HER GO!!" Ranma screamed, calling up the waters around himself, invoking a trick he'd never expected to use offensively, surrounding himself with a whirling swirling cascade of watery blades.  They were solid enough to cut through steel like butter, he knew, they should give pause even to the Demon Master Happosai.

                Said Demon Master just skipped around behind Ukyo before Ranma could charge, pressing up as close to her as he could without disrupting the containment technique.  She wasn't screaming now, but the tremors wracking her body and the torturous expression twisted across her face made it plain that she was still in agony.  "Stand down, boy!!" the ancient grandmaster snarled.  "If you strike me down I swear to you I'll take her with me!"

                Ranma stumbled, his motion arrested before it could really begin.  His face twisted into a grimace nearly as pained as Ukyo's.  "Damn you, old man.  I said let her go!!"  This time it was more a plea than a command.

                "You know what I want, Ranma.  I don't care about you or her.  All I care about is getting rid of the means to let other people make your mistake.  Call it here."  Happosai paused, then, with the air of one graciously granting a favor to an undeserving supplicant, said, "If you still don't feel like trusting me, destroy the key yourself.  That's all I want."

                For nearly five seconds, Ranma was too full of fury to respond.  Why the HELL hadn't the old freak said that at the very beginning?!  But the stakes were too high here and now for him to really give way to these emotions.  Choking them back, he answered, "I don't know how!"

                "For you, it's a heck of a lot easier than for me.  Just cut the thing in two with a blade of water or something.  It's not proof against magic, certainly not its own magic."

                "And then you'll let Ucchan go?"

                Happosai snorted.  "I'll let you _both_ go.  How many times do I have to say it before it sinks in, Ranma?  Without the key, there's no real threat here, no open door for heaven only knows how many people to grab power they don't deserve and aren't ready for."

                Ranma, meanwhile, hadn't listened past the first sentence.  In the stress of the moment it was rather hard to concentrate, and Happosai's continued blathering certainly didn't help, but after a few seconds of mental fumbling he managed to get results.  The rod solidified in his hand.  Quickly, still half afraid Happosai might make a grab for it, he focused on one blade of water and sent it arcing down, cutting the artifact cleanly in half.

                The red light around Ukyo winked out.

                A wave of weakness dropped him to his knees, as the water surrounding him crashed lifeless to the floor.

                Ukyo screamed, convulsed, and went limp.

                "What... what did you..."  Ranma struggled to get the words out, struggled to force his tumbling, stumbling thoughts back into coherence.  It felt like something had just been ripped out of his soul...

                "I'm afraid that's an unavoidable side-effect of destroying one of these things," Happosai said, finally letting out a long sigh of relief.  "Anyone who used that particular one to go to the pillar loses the power they gained.  There's no more conduit for the elemental energy to flow from the spirit to the human."  He glanced interestedly at Ukyo.  "She's lucky it happened now, and not a couple of months down the line," the ancient lecher remarked.  "The longer afterward this happens, the more dependent she would have been on that inflowing power.  If it was enough to make her faint now, in another month or two it would have killed her."

                "You bastard!" Ranma choked out, beginning to feel his strength and focus returning.  "You didn't know it wouldn't!  Didn't know how long it'd been for her!!"

                Happosai just shrugged.  "Didn't know, didn't care.  Don't expect me to shed any tears over that, or to feel guilty."  And he didn't, but some ancient curdled scrap of compassion, or remorse, or maybe just fair play, prompted him to add a little more information.  He could have left them to discover it themselves, but spending the effort to give a little more explanation didn't really cost him anything.  "Anyway, Ranma, the flip side of that is that she'll still keep some of her powers.  They'll be weaker than they were before, and there'll likely be some things she's lost entirely, but it's not like I took everything away from her."  Happosai pulled out his pipe, and began to fill it with tobacco.  "You on the other hand... well, I doubt you'll keep more than a few scraps and shreds of your abilities."  He shot Ranma a serious glance.  "Now, if you don't mind, I need to know how she got her hands on that thing in the first place.  Are there more?"

                "I don't know for sure," Ranma replied bitterly.  He had moved to Ukyo's side, and checked her pulse.  It was strong and steady, but from this vantage point he was able to make out the signs of damage left by Happosai's aura trick.  Ukyo's skin was red, inflamed, actually appearing sunburned in some areas of delicate tissue.  "She got it at the Cursed Antique Shop.  There wasn't even any instructions on what it was or how to use it.  She had to go by what the geezer who owned the place remembered from some old scroll."

                "So this key probably was the last one," Happosai said with a sigh of relief.  And it almost surely was an old one they'd missed, not something created since the purge.  "That's good to hear."  He rolled his eyes.  "Cursed Antique Shop... with a name like that she should've had enough sense to stay out of there.  You need to keep her on a shorter leash, Ranma m'boy."

                On hearing that, the last vestiges of Ranma's restraint vanished.  With all he had left, he darted forward, striking in the hardest blow he could manage, aimed directly at Happosai's wrinkled throat.  So the old freak didn't care about who he hurt, so long as he got his way?!  Didn't care about who he killed?!  Then it was time to get rid of this threat, time to rid the world of something a hell of a lot worse than the power he seemed to hate so much!

                Happosai just spun his pipe in an impossibly fast circle, forming a shield that stopped Ranma's punch cold, then tossed him back.  He smashed against a wall and dropped forward, landing half-sprawled over Ukyo.

                The ancient lecher regarded him evenly for a moment, and then smiled.  It wasn't a nice smile, either.  "Well, well.  You may be worth something as my heir after all, someday."

                And then he was gone.  Ranma just knelt there for several long moments, fighting the urge to collapse, and pretending that the water running down his face was the result of his long-vanished shield.

***************

                He carried her back to the restaurant, uncaring who might see.  As if sensing the return to the familiar place, Ukyo stirred in his arms as he entered the lane outside Ucchan's.  She groaned as he opened the door.  And once they were inside, with the door swinging shut behind them, her eyes fluttered open.  "Ranchan, what... what happened?" she asked, in a hoarse choked whisper.

                "Shhh.  Just lie still, okay?" Ranma asked.  He hurried up the stairs, still moving as quickly as he could without jarring her, made his way into her room, and set her down on her bedroll.  "How're you feeling, Ucchan?"

                "Like crap," she replied.  "I ache all over, I'm tired--heck, I feel like I just swam through twenty yards of quicksand.  What happened?  The last thing that made any sense was you saying we needed to get out of there, and then... I don't remember anything but pain."

                "It was Happosai."  Ranma spat the name.  Ukyo blinked, surprised at the sheer level of hatred seething within her best friend.  This was even darker than the desperate depression he'd carried that night she revealed herself to him.  "Came outta nowhere and used you as a hostage."

                "Hostage for what?"  She was already dreading the answer.

                Ranma hesitated, not sure he wanted to get into that just now.  "Umm... Ucchan, you sure I shouldn't get Dr. Tofu for you?  How bad do you feel, anyway?"

                "No, I don't need the doctor," Ukyo replied, fixing him with a weary frown.  She might be tired, but she wasn't too tired to recognize a clumsy evasion when she saw one.  "What happened next with Happosai, Ranma?"

                He let out a long, careworn sigh.  "It... that whole thing was about our powers, Ucchan.  He told me he an' a bunch of his perverted friends did their best to wipe out all this stuff, a hundred and fifty years ago.  They destroyed the rods that let people go to that spirit and get powered up, and killed some or all of the ones that'd already done it."  With even more bitterness creeping into his tone, he continued, "And the old perv somehow recognized when I scryed on him, sensed that there was someone out there with the Water powers that he'd thought were gone for good.  That's why he came back.  That's why he fought.  He told me he wanted the rod, wanted to destroy it, to get rid of that one last one."

                Ukyo blinked.  Now that Ranma had brought up the rod, a vague memory of Happosai mentioning it did resurface.  He'd been saying something about that, hadn't he, as she approached under cover of Darkness.  The threat he'd made after that had driven the earlier demand right out of Ukyo's mind.  She gulped.  "Did... did you give it to him?"

                "I destroyed it.  After that, he let us go."  The bitterness was stronger than ever, as he remembered how helpless he'd been, how it had been Happosai's choice to let him and Ukyo go, a choice he couldn't have influenced at all in any way other than what he'd done, obeying the ancient perverted grandmaster.

                Several moments passed in silence.  During that time, several emotions flitted across Ukyo's face.  Surprise at first, followed swiftly by relief--the thought of Happosai getting his hands on that artifact had made her stomach feel like it was turning inside out.  This faded into compassion, as she realized that despite the fact that Ranma honey had apparently saved both their butts, he was still feeling terrible about losing to the lech.  Determination came next, as she focused to draw off the worst of that pain.  Consternation then, shading into fear, as she realized something.

                "R- Ranchan.  I can't... I'm not..."  Ukyo gulped, pushing down her fear with willpower rather than elemental power, then said, "I'm having some trouble getting rid of the hurt you're feeling."

                Ranma bowed his head.  He'd noticed a lessening of the dark emotions tearing at him... but it had been happening rather less swiftly than it had in the past.  "That... that's the rest of what I got to tell you.  Damn bastard didn't tell me this until after I'd done what he wanted, but the rod wasn't just a one-shot thing to take us to the spirit.  After that, it was the gate that let elemental power keep flowing back from there to us.  And when I destroyed it..."  He gulped, blinking hard, squeezing a couple of tears out to run down his cheeks.

                "So my powers are dying?" Ukyo whispered.  "Just running on whatever little bit I had stored, and when that's gone, it's gone forever?"

                "No, that ain't what the freak said.  He told me the longer it's been since you got your power, the more of it you'll keep, the more stuff you'll still be able to do on your own.  Said you'd probably lose some things and others would be weaker, though."  He hadn't opened his eyes yet, not brave enough to see how she took this.

                After a moment of straining silence, during which Ukyo tried and failed to shift across the darkened room, tried and failed to form so much as a mini-spatula out of solid Darkness, the chef's composure broke.  With the last bit of conscious control she had left, she lunged forward, tightened her arms around Ranma, buried her face in his chest, and began to sob.

                Automatically, his arms came up and around her.  His physical reflexes remembered what to do, how to act in this situation.  Inwardly, though, Ranma was nowhere near certain that this was the right response.  What right did he have to stay here?  What right did he have to her forgiveness?  Wasn't she crying because of HIS failure?

                '_No_,' the cold realization surged up from the pit of his gut, '_it ain't my fault at all.  No reason for me to pull back.  It was Happosai, his choice, his stupid vendetta, he was the one who hurt Ucchan and could've killed her.  He's the one who's gonna pay for this someday.  It's not my fault._'

                That let at least a little of his pain fade away.  With a silent sigh, he shifted his weight, easing the both of them into a slightly more comfortable position, and resolved to offer his girlfriend as much comfort as he could.

                Truth be told, part of him wished he could let go like this too.  Only one week!  Ukyo had given him the greatest gift he'd ever received, and he was only allowed to keep it one damn week!

                Still, he reminded himself, absently stroking Ukyo's hair while forcing down the anger and bitterness, deferring it until such time as she might be able to destroy it for good, things hadn't gone absolutely as badly as they might have.  He'd never seen Happosai that serious before, or that viciously ruthless.  An outside observor would probably say he'd gotten off lucky; perhaps once the pain and the immediacy were gone, Ranma might even agree.  He'd had his Water powers stripped away, but that was the only permanent damage that had been done.

                There were worse things to lose.

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                Afterword

                Five down, one to go (in the fic that was originally planned to be three chapters long... o_o).  Thanks to Nemesis_Zero, Ed Simons, and Zorknot for prereading.****


	6. Dawn's Uncertain Light

Nocturne

A Ranma ½ fanfic by Aondehafka

Disclaimer: the Ranmaverse characters owned by Rumiko Takahashi, and all that obligatory stuff. This story based on the anime, not the manga.

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Chapter 6: Dawn's Uncertain Light

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He lay on his futon, eyes wide open in the darkness. Sleep refused to come, all the more frustrating since Ukyo would be meeting him in his dreams as soon as he did manage to leave the waking world behind. Over the course of the past several days, they'd established that that was one power she'd retained nearly untouched. Ukyo could still form any sort of dream she wanted, she could synchronize it with the real world to see what was happening there, and in dreams her power to shred dark emotions was as strong as ever. Outside the waking world, her abilities remained at nearly pre-Happosai levels.

The name danced across his mind, a snarl curved over his lips, and Ranma was farther from sleep than ever.

It was three days now since the confrontation with the ancient grandmaster. Ranma and Ukyo had spent the entirety of Sunday, the day after that disastrous battle, recovering physically and emotionally from the ordeal. They certainly hadn't finished the job in that one day, nor did Ranma have any illusions that either of them was really recovered even now, but at least they were capable of acting again.

The first real act Ukyo took was to contact Furinkan and officially withdraw from classes. As she put it to Ranma, "This business with Happosai was the last straw, Ranchan. I will stand before kings and kami and swear that I've endured ten times more crap in my seventeen years than should be spread across a whole lifetime. I'm not taking any more from Furinkan or its inmates."

Under other circumstances, Ranma might have worried, at least a little, that this act might lead to suspicion concerning his whereabouts. After all, Ukyo herself had pointed that possibility out to him some time earlier. But that was before Happosai struck, before the two of them skated so close to destruction. Before his girlfriend, his oldest friend, nearly lost everything for daring to try to help him take control of his own life.

He no longer had it in him to care who discovered what. Let them find out, and try to start the old familiar song again! Anyone who did would learn very quickly that he was calling a different tune from now on. As far as Ranma was concerned, anything before three days ago might as well have been in another lifetime. That grim afternoon had seen the finalization of changes which had begun earlier, but it had also been a turning point all by itself.

_'If the freak were here right now, I really would break his neck.'_

There wasn't even an extraordinary amount of bitterness associated with the thought anymore. He and Ukyo had had several 'drain the dregs of darkness away' sessions over the last few days, times when they'd sat down or flown in dreams and she'd taken away the latest recurrences of rage, hatred, and sorrow. Each time afterward those feelings had been a little slower to come back, and had been a bit less powerful. After all, knowing how flimsy they ultimately were in his life--remembering that they could and would be destroyed by Ukyo's will--meant they didn't ultimately matter so much.

What did matter was determination, comprehension, and acceptance of the lessons he'd had shoved so brutally in his face.

Happosai was only a part of that, albeit a large (so to speak) and ugly one. Probably--no, make that almost surely--the worst and most virulent symptom of the underlying problem, he was the one that Ranma would go furthest in combating. _' 'Anything Goes', all right,' _the Saotome heir thought grimly. _'If... when I get the chance, I can't afford to hold back. He showed just how far he's gonna go, to make sure I don't step out of line. Showed he didn't give a damn about who he hurt. Who he could've... killed...'_

Abandoning the fruitless position on the futon, he got quickly and silently to his feet, and hurried down the hall. Cracking open the door to Ukyo's room, he took a long, reassuring look at her. She was resting peacefully under the covers of her own futon, a faintly impatient expression on her face. Ranma puzzled over that for a moment, before realizing that she might well be getting tired of waiting for him to fall asleep. Since the logical next step on the chef's part would be to wake up and come see if he needed her waking-world company, Ranma eased the door shut again and slipped back to his room before he could be caught peeking.

Seeing her, even for that brief moment, had been reassuring. At least a little. She wasn'tdead, the damned lech didn'tkill or maim her. But there was nothing to say that the Anything Goes Grandmaster wouldn't sink to such depths the next time he wanted something bad enough, the next occasion in which he was determined to bend Ranma to his will. _'I'll kill him before I let it happen again,' _Ranma thought grimly. _'Before I even risk it happening again. Be doing the whole world a favor as big as the old freak pretended he did, when he slaughtered all those other poor people who went ahead of Ucchan and me.'_

He would go that far in a heartbeat, sending Happosai to his final rest without a shred of remorse, but Ranma knew very well that wouldn't fix the ultimate root of the troubles in his life.

He'd seen the pattern over and over again. Ranma wasn't proud that he hadn't really realized it, hadn't more than vaguely recognized the injustice while still living with the Tendos. Certainly he'd never sat down and thought about how many times it had happened before. Ukyo's messages to him, back when she'd been hiding her face in the darkness of his dreams, had started nudging him toward understanding, but not until his empowerment had he really seen. It had been blisteringly obvious then as he witnessed his whole life flashing back and forth before him, ripples and wavecrests, scattered images and coherent passages, the things he'd seen coming again in order and out of it, taking forever and yet over in a timeless heartbeat, glimpses not just of his past but also those of others who had featured significantly in his history, or himself in theirs.

Time and time again, he'd seen it. Watched as other people made the decisions for him as they thought best (best for him, sometimes, best for them far more often). In terms of frequency, Soun, Genma, and Akane were the worst offenders, though nothing they'd ever done (save possibly the Nekoken) had matched Happosai's worst excesses. The Amazons were by no means guiltless in this regard, though Ranma had also been forced to face the fact that if she had wanted to Cologne could easily have taken him to China by force. Still, there were numerous occasions when Cologne, Shampoo, or both had gone well beyond the boundaries of decent persuasion in trying to get him to see things their way.

Kaori and Kaede weren't so bad, but then they'd also been around for a much shorter total time. And he had seen enough hints of the same underlying theme there to be reasonably confident that it would've likely become a problem with them as well, had Ukyo not taken shelter from the rain when and where she did those three months back.

The core problem in his life was that other people wanted to run it, felt they had the right to make his decisions for him, and all too often didn't care who got hurt in the process.

Even when they weren't that ruthless, disaster could easily strike. He'd watched again as the rushing waters showed Akane take matters into her own hands following his mother's first visit to the Tendo home, deciding she knew best and telling Nodoka that her son would meet her that weekend. Ranma hadn't fought it, had gone along with it, had pretty much agreed with her at the time... but the fact remained that it hadn't been his decision. There had actually been some relief, that someone else had charted the course for him and all he had to do was follow it.

Another silent snarl in the darkness. Never again. No more. He was through letting other people make those decisions--hell, he was even through letting them think they knew what was best! Ranma Saotome was leading his own life from now on, and the only people who he was gonna trust to have at his side were those who proved they believed in that new path he was taking!

"Can't sleep, huh, Ranchan?"

He blinked, refocusing his eyes on reality rather than the future, finding that Ukyo had joined him in the room. "No, haven't been able to drop off yet. Got a lot on my mind, I guess." His girlfriend was wearing a modest set of pajamas, but Ranma resolutely kept his eyes on her face anyway. He didn't need any dangerous distractions at this point.

"Do you want to forget about this, then?" Ukyo asked.

"What, forget about meetin' up with you in a dream tonight? No way. What I want is to forget about all this junk and finally get to sleep," Ranma growsed.

"Well, maybe I can help with that." She knelt down next to him. "Here, sugar, let me give you a neck-rub."

"Ah... that's... I'm not so..." Ranma's nervous babbling switched off like a light, as Ukyo pressed his Instant Unconsciousness point.

"Next time maybe you'll think to do that yourself, jackass," she remarked to the room at large, amusement warring with exasperation, her eyes carefully fixed on the window as she settled him down on his bedroll. "Better that than sticking me in a situation like this. There's only so much temptation I can shrug off."

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"Gee, Ucchan, that was the best neck-rub I ever had," Ranma said sarcastically. "So incredibly relaxing. How _do_ you do it?"

"Ancient secrets born from two hundred years of Martial Arts Okonomiyaki history," Ukyo replied. "Hmm. That doesn't sound all that impressive, does it? Guess I shouldn't try to steal Shampoo's granny's lines."

Ranma made a face. "Speaking of the Amazons, I wonder when they're gonna get back into town."

"Can't be far enough in the future for me," Ukyo replied. Then she blinked. "What's wrong, Ranchan? Why're you shaking your head like that?"

"Because... because I can't keep putting this stuff off." He took a deep breath, despite the fact that this was a dream and there was technically no need for that whatsoever. "I gotta deal with all the remaining problems. Kaori... Kaede... I ain't saying I know just what to do there, or how I'm gonna handle it... but if worst comes to worst the most I can do is hurt their feelings. Not something I'd be proud of or want to see happen, but it wouldn't smash anybody's life. I can handle Pop, and Mr. Tendo ain't got nothing to hold over my head anymore--he already threw me out, and that's the one and only thing that old coward could've done to hurt me.

"The only people left with any real threat potential are Happosai," the word escaped with enough venom to cause Ukyo to drain his anger, "and the Amazons. Not saying they're in his class or anything like it. But they do have the potential to be. At least, Cologne is powerful enough that if she seriously started trying to call the shots in my life, it'd be hell to fight it.

"So that's why I'm wondering. I need to talk to them, or maybe just her. Probably would be good to leave Shampoo out of it for a little while longer. But I need to sit down and have a good, long talk with the old ghoul."

"Maybe you can get some concessions from them, Ranchan. After all, Mousse has been dishonorable since day one, and they never did jack about it. They just let him go on and on, and in the end he nearly managed to bring off the sickest cheap trick I've seen in my life. As far as I'm concerned, they owe you a LOT over that. More than they'll ever manage to pay back." Ukyo brooded for a few moments, then added, "Tell her that and see what she says."

"I definitely am planning to bring up Mousse when I talk to her," Ranma confirmed quietly.

Silence stretched for about a subjective minute before the pigtailed boy spoke again. "Anyway, enough of that stuff for now. You ready to get back to looking for the freak?"

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked, obviously startled out of some deep concentration. "What'd you say, Ranchan?"

"Are we ready to go?" he repeated. These last two nights' dreams might have been more work than play, since Ukyo attuned them to the real world and the teens spent them searching for a glut of Lust big enough to mark Happosai's whereabouts, but that didn't mean Ranma didn't still enjoy the 'flying around Japan with Ucchan' part.

"Just a second," her attention wavered again, fading away from him, her eyes dimming as if she looked into some far distant vista. Then her gaze sharpened once more. "Okay, I was able to touch Shampoo's dreams lightly enough not to leave any traces. They're coming back tomorrow."

"What? Oh. Okay. Tomorrow, huh? That soon. Great," Ranma said. "C'mon, Ucchan, let's get outta here now."

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Tap, tap, tap. Hop, skip, jump.

The rhythms of the two paces didn't come close to matching. Cologne's pogoing progress was steady and even, whereas Shampoo's was broken, the sequence between each two steps differing from the one before. Nonetheless the two Amazons moved forward at the same overall speed, with Cologne following a couple of yards behind her great-granddaughter. The Matriarch smiled fondly at her youngest descendant's exuberance, knowing that Shampoo's face still carried the same expression of proud, happy determination that she'd worn for most of two days now.

They'd spent a week in the mountains, the Matriarch cautioning, teaching, prodding, and hinting, Shampoo sweating and pushing herself hard in directions she'd never really understood existed before. The first thing she'd learned was a sloppy, imprecise, inefficient technique that drained her almost immediately while decimating the area in and around her target. NOT a move ever to be used in battle, this was done to impress upon her the gravity of the lessons that would follow, to give her a sense of sober understanding of just how much damage she was really going to be able to do, both to an opponent and to herself.

That had taken two days. The rest of the time had been devoted to control and non-combat uses of chi. Shampoo's skipping pace now was merely further practice of one particular training technique, the one that had most intrigued her and that had taken the longest to earn a breakthrough. The hop--recovering from the previous step. The skip--building up for that upcoming jump. And the jump itself--only a foot into the air, merely a tiny fraction of the height she could leap at maximum... but as she descended she slowed her fall by burning chi, sending her drifting to earth at roughly half the normal speed.

The train station wasn't far from the Cat Café, but Cologne knew her great-granddaughter would have to push herself very hard indeed to maintain this all the way back home. Her chi reserves still had decades of growing to do before she would reach their full potential. Still, as Shampoo practiced this and the other training techniques she'd been shown, those reserves would expand along with her control. _'If Son-in-law doesn't hurry up and get his rear back here, he's going to find he's been knocked out of his vaunted position in first place,'_ the ancient Amazon thought wryly.

A thought which reminded her that it had been a week since they were last in these parts; Ranma was likely already back in Nerima. Or at least Cologne hoped the boy had made his return by now. If not, if after all this time he was still seeking life's answers elsewhere, then it would be time to go after him.

They were now only a few blocks away from the Cat Café. Shampoo was beginning to show the strain of her exercise, the hop and skip lasting just a hair longer each time, and her face showing more determination than pleasure. Cologne closed her eyes, allowing her reflexes to carry her bouncing along without breaking pace, and engaged other senses. She touched the delicate web of energies that existed everywhere in the world, ignoring the ten thousand random impulses that had nothing to do with her quarry, seeking, searching...

Her eyes snapped open. "Like father, like son," she muttered with a relieved chuckle.

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_'Huh. This is panda fur,' _Ranma realized. There was only a very small amount of it, but after the life he'd lived for the past year and more, he was quite familiar with the substance. _'Wonder if he was up here for something.'_

'Up here' was a rooftop several streets over from the Nerima outpost of Chinese Amazon territory. Ranma's position afforded him the same excellent spying options it had provided to his father. From this height it was easy to catch sight of Cologne and Shampoo off in the distance and maintain a discreet surveillance on them. He wondered why Shampoo was moving at such a strange tempo; maybe she'd injured her ankle in training or something?

He hoped not, since that would make it a lot harder to catch Cologne alone. This confrontation was going to be difficult enough without Shampoo's presence as well.

Ranma remained where he was, maintaining his vigil over the restaurant. Thirty minutes later, he received the answer to at least one question--there was nothing wrong with Shampoo's ankles. The Amazon exited the building, climbed aboard her bicycle, and zipped away. He shook his head in mild bemusement, and reflected that if Shampoo ever wanted to make some extra cash she could do a heck of a job endorsing some bike line. Watching the Amazon blur from her innocuous street-level starting position onto a fencetop, then making her way over the roofs from there... well, it would beat any commercial he'd ever seen, that was for sure.

Not that this was any time to get lost in such random thoughts, Ranma chided himself; this looked like the opportunity he'd been waiting for. He focused his awareness back on the immediate present. Was anybody else around? Kaori wasn't about to pop out into the street below him, was she? Had Kaede decided to come by and ask Shampoo for another match? Was Genma even now en route back to this spot, assuming those few wisps of panda fur really did mean he'd been here? At least he was reasonably sure Happosai wasn't anywhere nearby. He and Ucchan had all but assured that the lech wasn't even on this island any more.

After another minute of checking, Ranma decided the coast was as clear as he could ask for. He tensed, muscles clenching for the leap that would propel him into space and toward his destination...

"Well, well, son-in-law. It's been a long time."

At the sound of the dry voice, coming without warning from just behind him, Ranma tried to jump, whirl, and facefault all at the same time. He really only managed the last one.

Three centuries of skill and martial discipline gave Cologne enough strength to refrain from laughing at the sight. But she did burn the picture into her brain, to be taken out again the next time she needed a good cackle.

"Dammit, don't sneak up on me like that, ghoul!" Ranma demanded, scrambling back to his feet, coming the rest of the way around to face her, and getting his heart rate back under control. "How the hell did you know I was up here anyway?!"

"Oh, let an old woman keep one or two secrets," the Matriarch responded. "I will say that it might have been harder. Your father used this very spot for more than a week, spying on us, waiting for you, thinking his own presence went unnoticed. I suppose that after the two of you lost your old lodgings, he thought you would head for a place where you are more than welcome."

Ranma opted not to respond to the bait, certainly not with an explanation of where he did go. "Whatever. Listen, Granny--we need to talk."

"Very well. I'm listening."

"Yeah? Well, thanks for that. I'm sure you've got plenty to say. I don't have so much. Just the one big thing." Ranma pinned Cologne with the hardest, fiercest gaze he could muster. It would have been nice if she'd responded in some way, even with so much as a blink, but the Matriarch simply continued regarding him with the same hooded, neutral stare. "An' that is that I am _through_ letting other people make the big decisions in my life!"

"Is that so," Cologne said calmly.

"It is."

"Then I'd be interested in learning whatever happened to you so recently. There's tinges of something strange in your aura, along with signs of terrible turmoil. Those happened within the last few days, and from the look of things you were hurt then about as badly as you were by Miss Tendo's betrayal."

"It ain't important," Ranma growled, then realized that giving a little bit of information might actually help him here. "But I will say that what happened had to do with someone who didn't like me makin' my own choices. Who didn't care how much damage he did gettin' me back to what he thought I should do."

Happosai most likely, the Matriarch decided. After Akane's actions, there were very few individuals remaining who could deal out that kind of hurt to her reluctant son-in-law by themselves. As Ranma's father Genma could probably manage it, but if Ranma had even seen him while the Amazons were away then surely this encounter would already have developed along different lines.

Aloud, she said, "Well, I can certainly understand how that would get under your skin. Some things never get much easier to bear, do they?"

Ranma refused to be drawn into the verbal dance. "You understand what I'm saying here, don't you?" he demanded. "I'm making my own choices in my life. Where I go, how I live, who I'm with. I ain't gonna marry Shampoo on your say-so. I don't care how many thousands of years of Amazon history are at stake here!"

"No, I don't suppose you do." Cologne allowed her voice to tighten ever so subtly, a harsh note becoming just barely detectable. "Of course, I have to wonder just how much moral ground you have to stand on, when you lash out at me like that. It was the Tendos, three of them at least, who have done the most of what you've been complaining about. Over and over and over again, you found yourself doing what they wanted, what they demanded of you. Even when you left them, it wasn't your own initiative, it was them throwing you out. And why did they do it? Because you dared to do something that Akane Tendo couldn't stomach. And because you were there, a target they could affect, whereas they had no real ability to strike back at Shampoo.

"Have I missed anything in this account, Son-in-law?"

"No, you did a real good job of throwing my mistakes in my face," Ranma snapped back. "An' that's what they are, and I'm not gonna keep on making them."

"Oh, I haven't even _begun_ to list all your mistakes, boy," Cologne said, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "And I don't think you want me running down a play-by-play list of them anyway.

"Do you think that you can just write them all off? Perhaps you're seeing the act of leaving the Tendos as a fresh, new start. That's certainly a good way to look at it, but you cannot simply shrug your shoulders and erase all the things that have gone before. The actions you yourself have taken."

"Like what?!" Ranma snarled. "I've told you over and over again that I ain't gonna abide by that stupid law of yours!"

"There was one time you didn't." Cologne drew on her chi, fed it into her voice until the roof beneath them thrummed at the power of her words. Despite himself Ranma staggered a few steps backward. "My great-granddaughter chanced upon a cursed brooch that made her love for you turn to hatred, and you were _desperate_ to reverse that." She barked a short, humorless laugh that cracked glass in twenty windows. "You even issued what cannot possibly be considered anything other than a formal Amazon marriage challenge--and defeated her."

By now he was on his knees, terrified realization surging through him like a wave breaking and curling through his guts, leaving his muscles feeling as if they had been turned to unmanipulable water. The roaring in his ears diminished the Matriarch's voice, making it sound as if coming from far away, but somehow didn't obscure any of what she said.

Cologne continued relentlessly. "You have many fiancées, but they were all arranged by your father. You have one wife, by nobody's actions other than your own. You reached out your hand and brazenly took all my great-granddaughter's honor and future, her heart, her very life, into your palm. The only reason I have not been more forceful about dealing with this matter is that you never really realized what you'd done.

"But the time for pretense is over, Son-in-law. You have created these circumstances yourself. The consequences are real, they cannot be ignored or wished away. If you forsake my great-granddaughter now, it becomes a question of whose future will be sacrificed to atone for the dishonor--yours, or hers. I think you can guess which choice I will make, if I'm forced to it."

The Matriarch paused then, giving him a minute of silence to recover. At the end of that time she spoke again, in a much less imposing voice. "I'm not trying to tell you to be at the church tomorrow at nine o'clock sharp to formalize your marriage. Just spend time with her, ask her what she's been up to these last few weeks. She has a lot to tell you, she is very proud of the things she's waiting to show you, and hopes you will be proud too."

Another minute passed before Ranma found his voice again. "This... I can't... it's too much, too fast..."

Cologne heaved a sigh. "Well, I suggest you start walking through life with your eyes open wider, Son-in-law. None of what I told you is anything like a new development.

"Fine, go sit under a bridge or on top of a skyscraper or something and think things over. After you've done that..." the Matriarch's voice sharpened again, ever so slightly, "you'd better speak to your father." She rattled off the address of a nearby hotel. "That's where he's staying. I'm sure he's anxious to talk to you after these weeks apart."

Ranma just stared at her for several long moments. The way she'd said it made it obvious that she had some sort of stake in whatever Genma would have to say, and then there was the fact that despite having been gone for a week and just now returned to Nerima, she still apparently knew that he hadn't seen his father yet. "Should I be even more scared now?" he managed to ask.

"Of course not," Cologne returned. "When have I ever done anything that didn't work out for your favor in the end?"

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Genma tensed, ignoring the bead of sweat that trickled down one cheek, commanding his muscles to hold on the very edge of readiness. It had been a long time since he'd faced a challenge like this. In the old days on the road with Soun and the Master such circumstances had been far more common, but that was a long, long time ago. Still, the old skill and power lingered, Genma assured himself. They had to. Otherwise... no, he could do it. He would do it!

The Master of Saotome Anything Goes took one last long, deep breath, then launched his attack. His left hand came swooping forward, knocking the sake bottle into the air, sending the still-sealed container tumbling end-over-end. His other hand shot forward at just the right moment, slicing through the neck of the bottle with utmost precision. The blow also eliminated most of the bottle's spin, leaving just enough to tip half the quantity of sake into several waiting glasses without spilling a drop. Genma's left hand arced out once more and caught the half-emptied bottle, returning it to his side for his own consumption. The awestricken salarymen erupted into a fit of pleasantly buzzed applause and ponied up the yen they'd bet against this dark horse being able to follow through on his boast.

Genma took a long drink from the bottle and let out a sigh. This wasn't so bad an interlude, but he was getting ready for things to get moving again. It was a pain having to go out at night and wander around the less savory areas until someone tried to mug him, then shake them down for enough cash to cover the next few nights at the hotel. Such things ought to be beneath a martial artist of his dignity, along with the parlor trick he'd just pulled off to earn enough drinking funds for the afternoon.

_'Surely it won't be too much longer,' _he thought, trying to convince himself. '_Just how long does the boy plan to sulk anyway? I'm tired of this, tired of living in a hotel instead of a home. Tired of having to make an effort to meet with Tendo. I can understand that Ranma probably isn't looking forward to returning there yet, but he needs to come back and listen to his father's words of wisdom. He needs to let me tell him things aren't as bad as he thought.'_

"Hey, old man." The words, quiet though they were, derailed Genma's train of thought as effectively as an unexpected ten-ton boulder across railroad tracks. He whirled around to find the very object of his thoughts standing just a few feet away, regarding him with an obviously troubled expression.

"Ranma!" he exclaimed. Genma got to his feet and stepped away from the bar with alacrity enough to surprise his heir, especially since the elder Saotome did so with no further attention to his drink. "Ha, good to see you again, Son. I knew you wouldn't stay away much longer. No, let's not talk now," he continued, pre-empting Ranma's attempt to rejoin the conversation, "this isn't the place for that. Come on, let's go up to my room." Might as well get the packing done and check out as soon as they'd finished talking, after all.

True to Genma's request, Ranma kept quiet as the two of them left the bar and ascended through the hotel to the elder Saotome's room. Genma said nothing either, instead taking the time to mentally polish the things he was shortly going to have to say.

As the door swung shut behind them, he forced himself to spit out the worst of it. "Ranma... I'm sorry. For all this time that you were right and I was wrong."

This was enough of a surprise to temporarily make Ranma forget the trepidation lurking at the back of his mind. "Right and wrong about what, Pop?"

"About Akane," his father growled, "and her suitability as a fiancée." The older man let out a sigh. "I hope you can believe me, boy. Neither Soun or I wanted it to come to this. We honestly thought we were doing you a favor, that the match would be a good one. I know the two of you had your problems, but that's true for any couple. We were so caught up in the idea of honoring our promise and uniting the schools that we didn't let ourselves see things as anything more than typical lovers' spats."

"So it took _you_ gettin' tossed out along with me before ya finally saw that, huh."

Genma inclined his head, not even trying to hide his rueful expression. "Yes, actually, that was a good part of it. Anyone who can get so angry at one person that they have to hurt multiple people to make up for it... that was enough to get it through even my thick head. Like I said, boy, I'm sorry. Tendo and I both are. You did your duty as a true martial artist, protecting Akane even in spite of herself. They should have been thanking you, not kicking the both of us out. It isn't going to happen again, Tendo and I both promise you that."

Ranma stared long and hard at his father. All the rest of the message had made sense, even if he hadn't expected to hear such words from his father. But that last sentence didn't seem to fit, somehow. Why would his father have mentioned Soun at all then, let alone with the emphasis he'd given? "You did say that the engagement to Akane is over and done with forever, right?"

His father nodded. "Yes, that's right. Things are going to be much better now, you can be sure of that."

"So you've finally given up on that whole 'unite the schools' thing?"

Genma blinked. "What? No, boy, don't be ridiculous. We've switched the engagement over to Kasumi." He chuckled. "Never let it be said Genma Saotome doesn't learn from his mistakes!"

That in itself was almost a mistake big enough to earn him a quick backfist from his son. However Ranma was just a little too puzzled at something else for his temper to really flare up. Was this what Cologne had wanted him to hear? That his father was still trying to make decisions like this for him? He could see how the Matriarch might think that would make him more amenable to the course she wanted him to take (to follow through on, one frightened piece of his mind reminded him), but that idea didn't seem to fit all that well with how their conversation had ended.

Before he could think up a way to bring the conversation round to the Amazons, Genma spoke again. "And that's not all, boy. I've done you one better than that. I had a talk with the old Amazon just before she took Shampoo off on a training trip." It had actually been Cologne who initiated things, but Genma didn't see a need to share any more of the credit for the good news he was about to give his son than he had to. "We talked about honor, and obligations, and opportunities, and cleaning up this tangled mess without anyone getting any more hurt."

"...And she's okay with you an' Soun trying to hitch me to Kasumi?" Ranma asked, still trying to figure out just what the heck was going on here.

"Yes, she is. Perhaps you didn't know this, Ranma, but under Amazon culture it's all right for a man to have several wives. According to the old woman, that's common for really exceptional men with lots of skill and strength and potential. She said that after the things Akane has done neither she nor Shampoo would accept her as a co-wife to you, but they have no problem with a sweet, gentle girl like Kasumi Tendo." Genma gave a satisfied grin. "How about that, boy? Starting to think a little better of your old man now, eh? I know Soun and I screwed up with Akane, but I've fixed things for you now! You get a wonderfully kind and supportive girl in one hand, and in the other a partner who opens the doors for you to get all the Amazon training you want! And both of them are excellent cooks to boot!" By now Genma's eyes were shining so brightly that there was no chance in the world for him to notice his son's expression. "What do you say to that, Ranma? Things aren't looking so grim anymore, are they?!"

"Pop, lemme ask you something." Ranma spoke sweetly, gently, in a tone that would've set off warning bells if Genma had been a little more alert. "Do you really think Kasumi deserves to get pushed into something like that?"

"Who said anything about pushing? Soun talked to her. He assured me she's perfectly willing to go along with it."

"What?! I... huh. And you think... Shampoo..." Ranma's protest ground to a complete halt. He had been going to bring up the threat Shampoo could pose to his proposed new fiancée, except that the idea of the Amazon (or anyone who knew Kasumi well) threatening the eldest Tendo daughter really was too absurd to contemplate. "You think she won't put up a fight?"

"Cologne didn't seem to think so," Genma answered with a shrug. "Why should she? She's been raised from birth to believe this sort of thing is okay. Of course she'd fight against sharing her husband with someone who mistreats him, but you and I both know Kasumi is as far from that as it's possible to get."

Silence fell. Ranma was struggling to find words of his own, words that would break a hole in the walls he could feel closing in around him. Part of him was angry--furious!--that his father and the old ghoul were still trying to set his future in stone like this. But another part refused to respond in anger, the part of him that had been touched the deepest by his father's words of apology, that clearly saw Genma was trying to do the right thing, what he honestly saw as best for his son. Beating some sense into his father just wasn't an option at this point. He needed to find a way to convince the old man that this plan wasn't the way to go about doing things.

"And there's something else, too," Genma said. He hadn't talked this over with Cologne, but it wasn't as if the old Amazon could reasonably protest, after all. Not when she had already okay'd the inclusion of Kasumi--a girl about as un-Amazonian as it was possible to be--in her son-in-law's marriage. "There's no need to limit things to just Shampoo and Kasumi, is there? Kaori and Kaede both have plenty to offer as well. Heck, even Ukyo if she learned Akane threw her engagement away and changed her mind."

"You cannot seriously think they're all going to go along with this!" Ranma yelled.

"Actually, I don't." Genma was clearly even more satisfied at this, which made no sense whatsoever to his son. "But think about it, boy. What does it mean that we'll be giving them the chance, and they are the ones turning it down?"

"That they--unlike some people I could name--are thinking straight?"

"Wrong!" Genma wasn't annoyed at his son's slowness on the uptake; it had taken three days for this particular silver lining to occur to him, after all. "It goes back to what I said before, about learning from my mistakes. I know it hasn't been easy, being stuck in such a mess of honor-ties to all these different girls. But don't you see? If we're ready to keep our part of the bargain, and they are the ones who refuse to take part in the Amazon poly-marriage, then you get off scot-free without so much as a stain on your honor!"

The sensation of walls closing in was stronger now, with the added suspicion that a roof was swiftly descending too. Ranma took a few shuddering gasps of breath, trying to fight it, trying to find some way out of this crazy waking nightmare.

"Is something wrong, boy?" Genma inquired, puzzled at the look he'd finally paid enough attention to notice on his son's face. "I thought you'd be happy." Then he thought back over the number of days he had spent thinking through all this. "Is this just a little too much too fast?" he asked sympathetically. "Don't worry about it. Take the time you need to think about it. You'll see for yourself soon enough that this is the best thing that could have happened for us."

"Best thing? You think that, Pop? Nothing could be better?" Ranma's voice rasped.

"Of course," Genma reassured him. "You get great food, loving wives, advanced Amazon training, and you don't lose a shred of your honor!" For once Genma was glad his son put such a ridiculous emphasis on that last quality. Usually it worked against the boy, but now it would be in his favor, helping him see all the more clearly just what a tremendous gift his father had arranged for him. "What could be better than all that?"

Ranma turned and marched over to his father's pack. Sure enough, at least one habit from Genma's long years of travel on the road hadn't deserted him--there was a flask full of water secured there. He picked it up, unstoppered it, dumped the contents over his head, and turned back to stare his father in the eye. "How about freedom?" he asked quietly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"We're home, Kasumi," Akane called as she and Nabiki stepped out of their shoes. They entered the house to find Kasumi was right there to greet them, as she was currently sweeping the front hallway.

"Welcome home, Akane, Nabiki." The eldest Tendo daughter smiled kindly at her sisters. Her expression dimmed slightly as she took note of the obvious dissatisfied looks on their faces. "Did you have a bad day at school?"

"Bad half-day you mean?" Nabiki quipped. "Not really. It's just that the stupid repair crews are too good at their job. Today was the last day we got out early for them to work. Tomorrow classes go back to the normal full-day schedule."

"I see." Kasumi sent an oddly hesitant, speculative glance toward her youngest sister, before speaking to Nabiki again. "Did they ever find out anything more definite about the damage done to the school?"

"They didn't, I did." Nabiki fired off her own hesitant look, although this one was directed toward Kasumi, as if she was wondering whether her older sister really ought to have brought this up now. "Happosai was there for sure. There were scraps that had to have come from his Happo Fire Bombs. As to who else was involved... well, I haven't seen any evidence of Breaking Point type explosions, so probably not Ryoga. I never found any dried-up ramen or broken chopsticks, so it almost surely wasn't Kaori." A pity too, Nabiki thought coldly, she would have liked to think of that Daikoku witch on the wrong side of one of Happosai's pleasure jaunts. "And of course the Amazons were out of town at the time, so--"

"Oh for goodness sakes stop talking around the thing like I'm going to explode!" Akane exploded. "It was Ranma fighting Grandfather Happosai. You know it. I know it. The teachers are lucky any of the building is still standing." The youngest Tendo gave each sister a reproving look. "I'm not going to fall all to pieces if someone mentions that jerk's name. You don't have to treat me like I'm made out of glass or something."

"Oh Akane, you make your father so happy!" Said girl's breath was forced out of her in a whoosh as Soun appeared out of nowhere and gave her a huge hug. "I've been waiting for you to get over this for so long now! It broke my poor heart to see you moping around and depressed." Soun let up on the pressure and pulled back enough to look Akane in the eyes. "You're really all better now? Truly over your anger and hurt? The thought of Ranma really doesn't pain you any more?"

"I... yes," Akane responded, not entirely truthfully. It did still hurt, especially when she wasn't able to avoid thinking of the fact that Ranma had gotten his curse cured by Shampoo. But she was tired of letting it matter, tired of letting that jerk control her life. Let her sisters talk about Ranma Saotome if they wanted to! Akane Tendo wasn't about to shed any more tears on someone that was nothing more now than a piece of the dead past!

"I'm so glad to hear it," Soun gushed. "Then I can finally make this announcement." Ignoring or missing the concerned look and the warning grimace his two older daughters suddenly developed, the Tendo patriarch pushed on. "It's about what Genma and I really were talking about, those times when you thought we were planning to get you and Ranma back together."

"You better have meant it when you said that wasn't what you were planning," Akane broke in, her tone suddenly as sharp as a razor.

"Of course I meant it," Soun said, caught between indignant and sorrowful that his precious little girl apparently thought he might lie to her. "We were planning something completely different."

"Daddy, I really don't think--" Nabiki started.

"Planning what?" Akane demanded, fighting a sudden chill.

"Since the engagement between you and Ranma was such a mistake, we moved it," Soun replied. "Kasumi will be Ranma's Tendo fiancée from now on."

"WHAT?!" Akane screeched. Her mouth gaped open and closed for several seconds after that before she found words again. "Daddy, NO! You can't do this again! Ranma's a jerk and a pervert and an honorless womanizing bastard! He can't be trusted farther than Kasumi can throw his dad--how can you tell her she has to marry him? I'm not going to let you do this!"

"Akane, that's enough!" Very little could have shaken Akane out of her shocked anger at her father just then, but these words managed to do it. Her head whipped around, shock completely displacing anger as she stared at Kasumi. Her oldest sister was actually frowning... no, _glaring_ at her!

"You're not going to let him?" Kasumi demanded. "What makes you think you can make that decision? Don't you have any respect for your family at all anymore, Akane? It was bad enough when you told Ranma he had to go. We shouldn't ever have let you do that. But we did, and we all had a part of hurting poor Ranma then. I'm not going to let it happen again! He is quite welcome back here, and when he comes back you aren't going to tell him any of these awful, wrong things you seem to believe so much!"

"K- Kasumi?" Akane gasped. "That's not... I'm trying to defend you!"

"No you're not! You're trying to take something away from me. You haven't even asked how I feel about this!"

"How you feel? Wait. Did... did you already know about this?"

"Yes, I did. Daddy and I talked about it and I agreed to give this a chance." The glare was long gone now from Kasumi's face, but her gaze was still quite determined. "You're wrong about Ranma. I don't understand how you can still think such horrible things about him, after all the times he's risked himself to save you."

"That's just a martial artist's duty!" Akane snapped back. "It doesn't mean anything. He always treated me like dirt, calling me names and running around behind my back with those other girls! He'll do the same thing to you, Kasumi... I just don't want that... don't want you to have to wonder when your so-called 'fianc' is sneaking around your back with Shampoo or something..."

"That's one thing she won't ever have to worry ab--" Soun cut off his reassurance with a gulp, his eyes going wide and panicked and no longer looking at Akane, staring rather at some point over her shoulder.

The response was strange enough that Akane reacted quickly, whirling around just in time to prevent Nabiki from hiding the sign she'd been holding up. " 'Daddy, for Kami-Sama's sake don't tell her about Shampoo now!' " Akane read. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Um... well..." Soun was sweating bullets now, his rising anxiety obvious enough to clue Akane in that whatever this was, it was big.

Kasumi sighed. "Daddy, Nabiki... go away. I'll handle the rest of this talk."

Once her hair had quit blowing in the wind raised by Soun's and Nabiki's exit, Akane spoke up. "Well, Kasumi? What is it?"

"Come on up to my room, all right, little sister?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"YOU'RE GOING TO _WHAT?!_"

Akane winced a bare second after the scream escaped her lips. She'd really put too much into that protest; it felt like she'd strained her vocal chords.

Kasumi rubbed at her ears, helping the ringing to subside, and stared mournfully at the crack that had shot across the frame of her most treasured family photograph. "Akane, nobody is forcing me to do this," she chided gently. "I agreed to it of my own choice."

"I don't believe you! This... this is some stupid trick, like Shampoo did on me with that shampoo! She made me forget Ranma, she's making you forget to stick up for yourself!"

"They were already gone on a training trip before Mr. Saotome even told Father about this. I don't even think they're back from it yet."

"But... but... how?" Akane asked, her voice cracking painfully. "How can you... can you agree to..." She couldn't even manage to get the words out.

"Akane, do you have any idea just how many men in Japan have a mistress? And for most of our history it wasn't even as hidden as that. Many men have had more than one wife at the same time. Just because the modern day Western World values may frown on it is no reason to act as if our heritage is suddenly shameful or wrong."

"Heritage is one thing but this is something different!"

"How?" Kasumi asked simply. "How is it different?"

"It... it just is... It's because it isn't your idea!" Akane exclaimed as she found inspiration. "This is Shampoo's stupid plot!"

"Don't be silly, Akane. Shampoo wouldn't have suggested this. It was her great-grandmother who first brought it up with Mr. Saotome."

"What the heck kind of difference is that supposed to make?"

"Honoring one's elders and respecting their wisdom, for one thing," Kasumi said soberly. "This compromise will satisfy our family's honor, the honor of the Saotomes, and Shampoo's honor as well. If someone had sat me down in a room and told me to come up with an idea that would do that, I don't know if I could have succeeded. But this will, and I respect and honor them for that."

"But is that enough? Enough for you to sacrifice yourself like this?!"

"Little sister, try and think back to what I just told you about a man having more than one wife. It's only a sacrifice if you think it is. And I don't."

A long moment of silence stretched between the two sisters. Akane broke it at last, saying in a small voice, "I don't understand you, Kasumi."

Kasumi chewed her lower lip in uncharacteristic indecision before responding, "Akane... do you really understand anyone? I mean, do you really understand that other people see things differently than you do, that things that seem one way to you might be completely different to others? That the things you heard when Ranma talked might not have been the things he was trying to say?"

Akane frowned bitterly, and brushed the accusation aside. "Look, Kasumi, I'm just trying to help you here. If you do this, sooner or later Ranma will hurt you. I don't want to see that happen! Promise... at least promise me you won't let Daddy make you marry him as soon as he gets back!"

"Don't worry about that. It isn't even certain that we will marry," Kasumi replied.

"Huh? B- but..."

"Akane, I believe that Ranma is a much better person than you've ever given him credit for. I know he has rough edges, and I hope I'll be able to help him get rid of them. But despite those things, he is strong, and honorable, he looks out for other people. He would rather accept pain himself than let someone else get hurt. He has all these good qualities, things that I think would be very good in a husband." Kasumi paused then, to let her words sink in, before continuing. "But it's also true that sometimes, two people are just plain incompatible. Only time and trying will tell that for sure between me and Ranma. So that is what I'm going to do, Akane, take that time and try to work things out with Ranma. And with Shampoo."

"You know how he is around her," Akane said tightly. She was aware that she was fighting a losing battle here, but she wasn't about to give up. "Even if some of this other stuff you've said is right, you can't ignore that. He'll just hang around you out of duty and save all his real feelings for her."

"I don't believe that either," Kasumi retorted, feeling the beginnings of a headache. "Little sister, you really need to try and see the positive side of this."

"Positive side! How can you say that, Kasumi? What positive side?!"

"Do you mean other than what I already said about everyone's honor being satisfied?" Akane nodded impatiently and Kasumi continued. "There won't be any real conflicts anymore. The Amazons will be our allies, not antagonists. Remember that, Akane--some of the trouble that has come down on this family, we've only escaped with their help. Ranma told me once that if Shampoo hadn't been there to help him, he might not have been able to get through to Prince Kirin in time to rescue you. They've been there when their strength and knowledge were needed... but it was only for Ranma's sake. After this, that won't be true anymore.

"Shampoo will literally be family. It isn't just Ranma who can learn exciting new Amazon techniques after that, Akane. Wouldn't you like some of that training yourself?"

"You have GOT to be kidding me!" Akane protested. "Learn? From Shampoo? After the way she treated me?! I don't think so! No matter what happens, she's never going to be family as far as I'm concerned."

"I expect better than that of you, little sister." The youngest Tendo flinched again as Kasumi mustered up another glare, this one colder and harder than before. "If this does happen, it won't happen anytime very soon. You can take time to get over these feelings. But I will not accept my sister hating someone for refusing to fight her."

"It's... it's not just that..." A thousand thoughts whirled through Akane's head, a mélange of unwelcome images. Memories of all the times Shampoo had shown her up, sometimes deliberately, many others without even trying or _noticing_, mixed in with freshly-painful thoughts of Ranma. But she couldn't bring herself to utter any of this, couldn't even find the words. "Kasumi... I'm telling you, this is a mistake... please, promise me you'll think about what I've said..."

"Of course I'll think about it. But you have to promise me the same thing." Kasumi smiled again at her little sister, hoping against hope that maybe this time the lessons really would sink in. That Akane wouldn't discard this promise as easily as the last important one Kasumi had extracted from her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

With a grunt of mingled exertion and frustration, Ranma leaped. This was no typical roof-hopping bounce, either; right now he wasn't about to settle for something as simple as that. He needed something challenging enough to take at least some of his attention away from recent developments. And so he stretched himself to the limit, exploding in a mighty jump that sent him four stories in the air, bouncing off the side of a building that stood half again as high as that, arcing higher in a new jump ninety degrees away from his original course. Another wall-bounce reversed that previous change of direction, and allowed him to touch down on the roof of the first building.

From this vantage point he could almost see the Cat Café. Ranma grimaced, reminded again of the trial toward which he was heading. _'I don't think she's gonna take this even as well as Pop did,' _he thought gloomily. _'Damn it all, old man... would it have been too much to ask for you to back me up for once?'_

He sighed. _'I wasn't even able to convince Pop that I've got a right to do this. Maybe he didn't keep on saying it, but I could tell he still thought he'd done the right thing.' _It had even looked like Genma was hurt by his son's refusal to accept or acknowledge that, although Ranma wasn't ready to give that impression full credit. His old man was a master of sneaky tricks, bluffs, misdirection, and the like. And Genma had certainly sent plenty of pain his way over the years. No, his father's disappointment and potentially hurt feelings weren't anywhere near the most important things here.

_'Pop's never in his life let honor push him into something he wasn't happy about,' _Ranma thought grimly. _'At least, I sure never saw it. So why can't he see? Why can't he open his eyes and think about what this would do to me? Honor's not enough to make two people happy... or three or four or however the hell many fiancées I got out there,' _he added with a mental growl. _'I'm not gonna settle for that kind of marriage. Not for anybody's idea of honor, not for any number of stupid promises he made and didn't intend to keep.'_

He leaped again, his course carrying him unerringly toward the Cat Café, his body moving almost at cross-purposes to his mind. _'But if I couldn't even convince him, what chance do I have with __Cologne__? That stuff she said... about what'll happen if I don't at least go with Shampoo...'_ He clamped down hard on the thought, trying not to dwell on it for now. Trying not to remember that though he could bring himself to disregard his father's promises, there were some things that he could never accept.

That there were some prices he couldn't pay for freedom.

Cologne intercepted him when he was still several blocks away, descending out of the sky at an angle that almost suggested she'd flown in with her staff taking the place of the more traditional broomstick. Ranma let the gathered tension bleed out of his legs, discarding the energy that had been gathered for his next jump. Not quite all of it was willing to go, though... a significant portion of the tense readiness just migrated up to his chest. For a long moment neither spoke, simply regarding each other in the warm, deceptively calm afternoon sunlight.

"Hey, Granny," Ranma finally said. "I talked to Pop, just like you said."

"Well and good, Son-in-law. But you didn't do something else I suggested," Cologne returned. "You haven't taken any serious time to think over any of this. Go away and come back in a day or so."

"No. I've been thinking things over for the past three weeks," Ranma declared. "I know I didn't see everything I needed to. And that ain't changed yet. I don't have all the information I need, so wasting another day thinking doesn't sound like a good idea anymore."

"What more do you really need to hear?" the Matriarch wanted to know.

"You said if I don't marry Shampoo, then that dishonor means one of us doesn't have a future anymore. Or at least that's what you made it sound like. But you didn't give any specifics, Granny, you just pulled out another vague ominous warning that didn't really tell me anything concrete. That ain't good enough anymore."

"I told you something very concrete," Cologne countered. "I pointed out exactly what you did when Shampoo bore the Reversal Jewel. Exactly what you were saying when you issued and won that challenge."

Ranma glared. "That's not what I'm asking about."

"Why, exactly, do you need anything more?" Cologne fired back a glare significantly stronger than Ranma's. "I believe I mentioned one other concrete thing, Son-in-law... that I _didn't_ expect you to formalize your marriage to my great-granddaughter within the immediate future. That I _did_ expect you to spend time with her and get to know her better. I'll ask again: what more do you need to hear?"

The Saotome heir took a deep breath, drawing on all the courage and determination he could muster. "Right or wrong, no matter what you expect, I'm not gonna have anything to do with Shampoo until you answer my question. I'm through fumbling around in the dark screwing up, old ghoul. You told me yourself to walk forward with my eyes open."

"Very well. You have brought this on yourself, Ranma, in more ways than one." Cologne paused, then spoke again, her voice sharp enough to shave through stone. "You've eaten meals lovingly prepared by Shampoo for you dozens and dozens of times, availing yourself of our hospitality with only an occasional word of absentminded thanks. You've come to me for aid numerous times when facing a challenge. You knew that we would always be there when you needed us, whether it was aiding you in a quest for a cure, standing at your side against a dangerous foe, or helping you grow as a warrior.

"Where would you be now, without our aid? Remember when you learned the Hiryu Shoten Ha? Do you recall just what had happened then, the crisis and how it was resolved? You barely even thanked me for the secret I entrusted to you, and you said not a word for applying the cure after we recovered the last piece of the chart. That's how it's been, over and over again, you have simply accepted these things as if they were your due and your right.

"For a family member, that is perfectly acceptable, even if it is rather rude. But for someone who is not family to claim such things as though he were..." Cologne let her voice trail off. "Do I really need to go any further, Son-in-law?"

"Yes," Ranma forced out. His eyes were shut, and he was trembling slightly. Nonetheless he forced himself to stick with this. "I do need to hear it all."

"Very well. For someone to take such liberties, to use an Amazon so heartlessly and then discard her when he has no more need or desire for the resources she represents, that is an insult beyond forgiveness. In effect, you would be declaring to all the world that my great-granddaughter was worthless in and of herself, only valuable for what you could wring from her. To give an insult like that... her only choice would be to kill you to redress it, or end her own life. Because sparing you would be saying that she agreed with what your actions had said.

"That, of course, is only when we consider Shampoo herself. As the head of Shampoo's family and one who has been involved in these matters, I can choose to take matters into my own hands. That is what I meant when I said I would not allow my great-granddaughter's future to be sacrificed for your sake. Your death would be swift and painless, at least.

"Have I answered your question sufficiently... Son-in-law?"

Relative silence greeted her, broken only by Ranma's gasping breaths. The pigtailed teen was on his knees, his eyes clenched tightly shut. There weren't actually any tears trickling down his cheeks, but the Matriarch suspected that was more a testament to Ranma's willpower than his equanimity. Cologne waited a few moments, then spoke more kindly. "There really was no need to go to such painful lengths just now. Next time, maybe you'll be a little more ready to take my word for something. I'll leave you alone to consider these things for now."

She turned and vaulted to the top of her staff. But before she could take her first pogoing leap, Ranma found control and strength and breath enough to utter one word.

"Hypocrite."

For the first time in Neriman memory, Cologne actually lost her balance sufficiently to tumble from the top of her staff. She caught herself almost immediately, whirling in midair, catching hold of the base of the weapon, bringing it into a ready position as she landed. "What did you say, boy?" she hissed.

"You heard me." Ranma stared bleakly back at her, and the Matriarch could clearly see despair in his eyes. But he spoke clearly and calmly, seeming to find some odd form of strength in the middle of that pit of hopelessness. "You know good and damn well that I didn't mean it. That what you said is true. That I didn't ever think of all that help you were giving me as coming from family to family. That I didn't even stop to consider honor or what it would mean when I challenged Shampoo that time. You know that I haven't even come close to the standard you say I should've kept to all this time, Granny. But you're also saying it'll all be okay if I put that crap behind me and go to Shampoo for real?"

Cologne gaped at him, her initial fury forgotten. "Do you have some sort of problem with that? That I should help you realize you were making a mistake and forgive you for it?!"

"It ain't like that would erase the fact that I did make those mistakes."

The Matriarch opted not to respond at first, fixing a calm, evaluating stare on Ranma for several moments of silence. "You're not making the right distinction here, Son-in-law," she said at last. "Remember what I said earlier today? The reason we're having this conversation now, rather than a year ago, is that you never really understood what was happening. Certainly it was a mistake, but it was not the same thing as the actions I described earlier. You were acting thoughtlessly, not heartlessly."

"And that's any better?"

Cologne decided that was as good a cue as any to bop him over the head. She did so lightly, though, just enough to punctuate the fact that he'd asked an extraordinarily stupid question. "Of course it is. Ranma, look at me, and think of all the 'mummy' or 'old ghoul' jokes you have made. I have seen three centuries pass, and you have not yet reached your eighteenth birthday. Childhood is a time to make mistakes and grow from them, and whether you like it or not I can clearly see you haven't completely left that time behind yet. Not you, not my Shampoo, not almost any of the people who are caught up in this whirl of chaos, challenges, and dreams. You all still have growing to do. It's part of why our people usually marry so young--it means wife and husband can grow together more easily, can have something stable to stand on in the middle of adolescent changes."

"Well, damn. I guess you got all the answers, huh Granny?" The fact that Ranma showed no signs yet of having been comforted or reassured by her words was beginning to worry Cologne. "All you ever really had to do was play this trump card, and there'd be no way out for me. Right? I chained myself down and tied off all the loose ends of my future without even realizing I was doing it. No way could I argue with you anymore, once I knew what would happen to Shampoo if I did fight my way free."

"I'm beginning to lose my patience here," Cologne said in a warning tone that did a fine job of masking the increasing concern she was feeling. "What on earth do you think you have to complain about? Tell me what is so horribly objectionable in the future you have earned, if it's not too much to ask. Enlighten me as to what is so bad about a loving wife who can stand by your side as an equal in the Art you live for, and a family who can teach you things you will never learn anywhere else in the world. Give me one good reason why you don't think this is something to celebrate, Son-in-law."

Ranma stared back at her, no longer really affected by the Matriarch's gimlet gaze. "As soon as I go along with this, BOOM! That's the last real choice I get to make, isn't it? Once I really am family, that means I'm part of Three Thousand Years of Amazon Law. And if I ever step out of line, I get pushed right back into it or taken down for the count. Just like Mousse."

Cologne let out a sigh of relief, which did manage to dilute Ranma's bitterness with a bit of confusion. She had wondered whether her great-granddaughter's husband was really going to be able to understand the disciplinary action she'd taken. After all, Ranma himself was far too forgiving at times, allowing himself to become the victim of others' repeated abuses, unwilling to face any conflict that wasn't grounded in martial arts. He hadn't even been able to stomach the responsibility of preventing his rival Ryoga from using his cursed form to sleep in Akane's bed.

"I'm certain I didn't hear that right," the ancient Amazon said kindly. "You and I both know you would never stoop to such dishonorable lengths as Mousse did. Right?"

"That ain't what I'm saying here. It's the principal of the thing! You took everything away from him, Granny, didn't even give him a chance to defend himself from what Shampoo told me!"

"That's not true at all," Cologne replied. "Neither of the things you said, actually. I certainly did give him a chance to defend himself; what I did NOT do was allow him to lie to me. He stood or fell based on the truth of his actions and his motivations. Perhaps Shampoo didn't tell you what the last question I asked him was?" When Ranma shook his head, the Matriarch continued, "It was whether he would make another attempt on your life if given the chance. And his answer was 'Yes'."

"But... still, you..."

"Took everything away from him? Not hardly, sonny boy. Only death would have done that. What I did was remove his ability to be a warrior, since he had completely and utterly proved that he could not be trusted with such power.

"I will admit that my judgment ended Mousse's old life. Any of my fellow elders would have done the same or worse, I promise you that. And since I doubt you really understand how important that statement is, let me explain it a little further.

"For the past year and more, I have put up with Mousse and his disrespect, his half-hearted assistance, the insults he muttered thinking I was unable to hear, the times in which his interference has made my great-granddaughter's own honor-bound course more difficult. The boy even threatened customers for daring to show interest and appreciation for Shampoo, something that he did back in the village as well. The rest of the Council of Elders know very well that enduring Mousse's presence as I have would be a strain on anyone's tolerance or patience.

"That being said, those on the Council who would prefer to see the Matriarchy pass from my family would certainly not miss an opportunity such as misuse of my authority. I had to be certain beyond any doubt that the actions I took could be justified, lest I undermine my own great-granddaughter back home who currently holds the role of Matriarch-in-training."

"Wait a minute," Ranma broke in. "I thought Shampoo was supposed to be your heir."

"Heir to the Matriarchy? Of course not, boy, don't be absurd. She doesn't have anything like the mentality or temperament for it. Shampoo is a Warrior, which is what makes her such a fitting match for you."

"So all the other old ghouls will agree with what you did, even the ones that don't really like you. Fine. That just means what happened really was about Amazon law, not you, and far as I can remember that was what I was complaining about in the first place."

"Yes, yes, and you also babbled something about destroying Mousse's life. That certainly isn't true, he simply cannot be a fighter anymore. While that is the most highly respected caste among the Amazons, healers are only slightly less revered. Mousse can still follow that path. In fact, the most recent letter I received from my great-granddaughter back home indicates that he has already begun training for such."

Cologne paused, in order to pin Ranma with a meaning-filled stare. "So that is that. I think I'd like to hear you admit it now, that you were wrong to think Mousse had been treated too harshly."

"Just because you maybe didn't do as much as I thought ain't no reason to admit that!" Ranma protested. "Like it or not, you still took away a huge chunk of his free will."

"I fail to see how... oh, there was one other thing I probably should have mentioned," Cologne admitted, smiling as she administered the coup-de-grace. "Mousse could have refused to bide by this judgment. All he had to do was appear before the Council of Elders and swear to that. The Xi Fang Gao would have been undone, and his strength unsealed.

"That refusal would have its own consequences, of course; he would have forfeited his place in the tribe. He would be given three days to leave our lands, and at the end of that time any Amazon who saw him would know him for a blood enemy and treat him accordingly." The Matriarch paused to consider the effects of her revelation on Ranma. "He had that choice, and he made it as seemed best to him. There are rules for living in any society, boy. Surely you know that. Your own land of Japan has a fine and glorious tradition," she spoke the words quite sourly indeed, "of demanding those who have dishonored themselves to pay for it by taking their own lives--at times for terrifyingly trivial reasons. Do you catch my drift, Ranma son of Nodoka?" He grimaced at the reminder, though not as bitterly as Cologne had expected. "If you can accept that, how can you possibly argue with my actions regarding Mousse? Just because he didn't have enough honor even to admit how thoroughly he dishonored himself?"

"Okay, okay!" Ranma shouted. "Fine. You were right an' I was wrong. Guess I better get used to that, since it looks like it's gonna be par for the course from now on. Seein' as how my whole life's been pinned down in the pattern you want."

"I'm still waiting for you to tell me just what's so terrible about that pattern," Cologne retorted, "especially since it was you yourself who really nailed it down. Give me one good reason why you aren't willing to do what I asked. Why for now you won't put aside questions about all the rest of your life, and just spend time with my great-granddaughter. Date her and get to know her and build a life with her slowly, at your own pace."

"Ain't you forgettin' Kasumi in that outline?" Ranma wanted to know.

"That's your business completely. My agreement with Genma is that he will acknowledge Shampoo's marriage to you as long as I do the same for Kasumi. That doesn't mean I have any reason to try and push you into taking her as a second wife, any more than Genma would push for Shampoo."

"Well, you got better than your money's worth from Pop. He was pushing Shampoo just as hard as Kasumi."

Cologne blinked, then smiled. "Then he did so merely because he believed in the match, Son-in-law. I certainly didn't require it of him. And you know, although your father has made his share of mistakes, perhaps this is one time you should give him a little credit? Think about it, after all. Shampoo and Kasumi can support you in different ways, each of them bringing different skills to the household. The two of them would complement each other nicely as companions in your life.

"But as I said before, the matter of Kasumi Tendo is your choice. This is hardly the terrible scenario you were thinking about, now is it? All that's really happening is that you're working out the consequences of choices you already made. They certainly haven't set every aspect of your future in stone. You still have plenty of choices to make in your life, plenty of freedom to determine its direction." Cologne noted with satisfaction that this last speech had wiped away most of the darkness in her reluctant son-in-law's eyes. He still was registering some fear, but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been.

Ranma took a deep breath. "Okay... about that, about choices and stuff... Pop said something like that too, said that... that we could solve more honor problems, if maybe one of the other girls wanted in on that whole 'Amazon marriages let a whole buncha girls grab the same guy' thing..."

The Matriarch frowned. "He said that, did he? Well, your boneheaded father just used up most of the credit he earned by supporting Shampoo more than I expected. Perhaps it slipped Genma's notice, but including other girls affects your other wives as greatly as it does yourself. Shampoo was willing to accept Kasumi after only a few days of persuasion from me. Kaede Hayashibara might possibly be an option as well. But I suggest you forget any idea you had of including your other suitors in this arrangement, Son-in-law... as things are now, you'd have to ask me to break out Xi Fang Gao techniques that are fifty years beyond Shampoo's level in order to make something like that work."

"So that's it." Ranma's countenance had fallen again, hope dying far more quickly than it had been reborn. "That's my choice. Shampoo, or Shampoo and Kasumi, or maybe Shampoo an' Kasumi and/or Kaede. No other options that don't involve either killing Shampoo, which I'd never do, or myself."

A cold, hard, evaluating silence followed on the heels of his words. Cologne stared at Ranma, her gaze probing mercilessly, her eyes glinting as if they strove to pierce the veil of his flesh and stare directly into the pigtailed teen's soul. At last she spoke, in a tone that carried more intensity than she had yet used in this conversation. "There is a possible way out, Son-in-law. One way in which you might earn an honorable end to your tie to Shampoo, one that would not end in anyone's death or destruction.

"Even telling you this much is more of a concession than I really ought to have made. I'm doing it because your reaction so far does not make sense. You have exactly one chance now to convince me I should tell you more, should provide this opportunity for you. And let me warn you ahead of time--saying that you don't love Shampoo isn't even close to a good enough reason. You've never tried to get to know her, never given love a chance to truly bloom in your own life. Without even trying that, I see no reason to make such provision for you. Still, I will give you the chance to prove me wrong. State your case, and make it good."

Ranma closed his eyes, clamping down hard on the sudden mingled surge of hope and fear. This was harder than the last real battle he'd fought against Cologne, the stakes were just as high, and the Cat Fist wouldn't save him now. He had to do this on his own, using the skills that were among his weakest.

He opened his eyes once more, and looked up into the sky, staring with intensity enough to cause Cologne to glance up as well. There were a few puffy clouds to be seen, but other than that nothing marred the blue of the heavens. "Don't really look like rain up there, does it, Granny?" Ranma said quietly. "And there aren't any taller buildings near this one we're on top of, so nobody's gonna dump their used washwater on me outta the blue. Right now there's no chance at all of my Jusenkyo curse getting triggered."

Some of Cologne's wrinkles smoothed themselves out, as she suddenly saw where he was probably going with this. Of course Shampoo's curse must still seem to Ranma to be a huge stumbling block. As soon as he came out and admitted it, she would be more than happy to inform him that once Shampoo was no longer in violation of Amazon law, once she had landed her lawful husband, the both of them would be given their cures as a wedding present.

"And I _mean_ no chance," Ranma continued, his voice picking up speed. "Not even if one of those firefighting planes flew overhead an' the pilot hit the wrong button, and dumped his payload all over us."

"True, since those planes usually carry chemicals, not water. Get to the point already, Son-in-law."

"Just hang in there a few more seconds, Granny. I'll be right back." And with that Ranma moved. Cologne's gaze tracked him as he leaped from the rooftop to the street below, grabbed a bowl from a passing goldfish vendor, flicked the fish out of it into one of the man's other bowls, then upended the one he'd snagged over his head.

He jumped back to the rooftop, ignoring the vendor's angry shouts and brandished fist. "I can't deny that you and Shampoo have given me a hell of a lot," he said quietly. "But you ain't the only ones--"

"Where have you been these past three weeks?!" Cologne snarled, cutting him off and invoking the technique she'd used earlier in the day, infusing her voice with chi enough to shake the air around them. "It begins to make sense now. Someone seized the opportunity when you were hurt, when _we_ allowed you space to make your own choice. She handed you a cure, encouraged you to stay with her hidden from everyone else, drove her claws well and truly into your soul? Is that more or less how it happened, Son-in-law?"

"No, it's not!" Ranma yelled. "Damn you, you got no clue what she had to go through to do this for me! You talk about the choices you will let me make, but Ucchan didn't ask ANYTHING out of me! She gave me a cure, and a gift, and the right to decide for myself about how to live my life. Well, the gift didn't last too long before your old pal Happosai came along an' shattered it. You wanna take a page out of his book, ghoul? Gonna take away another thing she had to go through hell to get for me?!"

"I suggest you curb your tongue, boy," the Matriarch warned, glaring bitterly at him. "I've said it over and over again, reminded you I don't know how many times that what's happening now is the result of your own actions. If you can't even admit that except when it suits your purposes, can only acknowledge your debt when it isn't a question of paying it, then we're getting into some very dangerous territory."

"You asked me a question and I answered it," Ranma retorted, refusing to be cowed any longer. "You wanted to know why I might wanna make some other future than the one with Shampoo." He took a deep breath, let it out again, then said, "I do owe you. If it weren't for Ucchan, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. I'd be off giving Shampoo the chance..." his voice faltered, "the chance she deserves... but you said yourself it's a question of either-or, Granny. I can't abandon Ucchan anymore, at least not for anything short of somebody's whole future being at stake."

"Can't you?" Cologne asked after a long pause. "We shall see. I'm still not sure I should go any further with this. Frankly, I don't think now is the time. If you want me to tell you how to earn your freedom from Amazon marriage law without actually honoring your marriage, you need to prove your desire for Miss Kuonji is really that strong and enduring. That it is more than just obligation, since you've already shown you have no problems weaseling out of those.

"This isn't just a question of Shampoo and Ukyo, after all. Kaede Hayashibara, Kaori Daikoku, Kasumi Tendo... with the agreement I gave Genma, I can't say anything about that last one. But if you want a chance to walk away from my great-granddaughter, then you must first end things with Kaede and Kaori. Feel free to ask Ukyo for her help, in fact I insist on it. I will be watching, to see how the two of you manage such a trial. If you do it and do it well, then I'll reveal the path you can take to free yourself from the marriage law.

"One more thing." Cologne paused for emphasis before saying, "Have you spent all this time with her? Did you even leave Nerima at all?"

"I was only gone for less than a day," Ranma replied. "Yeah, I've been with her."

"Then instruct Miss Kuonji to remove whatever countermeasure blocked you from my senses when you were in her restaurant."

"You don't have to worry about that." He bit the words out. "It's been gone ever since Happosai nearly killed her."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ranma picked up a stone from the pile beside him. He concentrated a moment, applying the technique he'd learned from Kaori and charging the rock with chi, then sent it flying forward to skip along the surface of the water. The missile's path changed direction by ninety degrees the first time it struck, leaving it skipping along parallel to the canal's course rather than heading toward the far bank. The stone sailed along for quite a respectable distance, far farther than it could have gone had it held to its original direction, before losing velocity and sinking out of sight.

He was seated underneath the bridge, as near to the center of the short tunnel as he could manage. It didn't provide anything like full shelter from the light spilling in at either end. The shadows were thin, attenuated, powerless, and the water flowed calmly through its channel. It might manage to raise a temporary protest when there was a big enough storm, but that didn't change the ultimate truth--that it had been tamed. Controlled.

He grabbed another, larger rock. "I," the word was a growl barely discernable as speech, "will not," the words coming clearer and quicker now, "let this happen," anger burning bright, hot, and fierce, "to me!"

The pigtailed teen threw the rock with all the strength he could muster, straight into the center of the water. It kicked up a huge volley of spray, splashing everywhere. He reached out, tried to sense it, tried to alter even the path of one single droplet through will alone.

If he succeeded, there was no sign of it.

Once more he tried, heaving the largest rock at hand, this time with his eyes closed and his hand left outstretched, palm up, trying his best to sense the water at all. It had been so clear once; the fluid had almost felt like part of him, something that was as integral as an arm or a leg and could be manipulated as easily. Now, he wasn't sure he had any of that awareness anymore. It felt more like he was remembering how it once would have been, instead of retaining even a little of the gift Ukyo had given him.

Still he tried, closing his eyes and attempting to feel the shower from his latest throw, trying to guide any of the spray, even a single drop, into his outstretched palm. Of course, one or two droplets landing there wouldn't have proved anything, since that much could easily have flown on such a trajectory by chance.

The fact that no water at all touched his skin seemed to prove something quite clearly.

Ranma opened his eyes, stared at his dry palm for several long moments, then closed them again with a sigh. "Guess I shouldn't have listened to the freak even that much. No scraps, no fragments, no nothing. Nothin' at all left of the best gift anyone ever gave me," he muttered sadly, angrily, and incorrectly.

He sat there in silence, trying to push past that thought, reaching for the determination he needed. This didn't really change things, after all. What difference would it have made if he'd still had enough power to affect a measly few milliliters of water? What help would that have been in facing the trials ahead of him? None at all, that's what. His situation wouldn't have been improved one iota. This didn't mean anything, not really. It sure didn't make him any less able to fight the battles he was facing. He was Ranma Saotome, and this was important, and he wasn't going to lose!

Ranma's eyes opened wide in recognition. His level of angst and anger shouldn't have dropped this quickly.

Sure enough, Ukyo was standing a little ways down the tunnel, looking at him with a troubled expression. "Hey, Ucchan," he said quietly.

"Hey yourself." She walked over and sat down next to him, saying nothing else, looking expectantly at him as if waiting for him to say more. Before he could decide how to proceed, she ran out of patience. "I was kind of hoping you... you wouldn't be this down after talking to the old ghoul." She gulped, then asked, "How'd it go?"

Silence stretched for another long moment, before Ranma looked away. "Okay. Good news, bad news time. I'll start with the good news. There's some way of getting out of Amazon marriage law without messin' up Shampoo's or my life anymore. Cologne told me that once I tell Kaori an' Kaede that I ain't going through with their engagements, she'll tell me what it is." He took a deep breath. "She knows about you and isn't protesting. Never made anything like a threat to you. In fact she told me that you and I needed to work together on this."

"That is good news," Ukyo agreed cautiously. In fact it sounded like better than just plain 'good' news to her. Ever since the lessening of her powers, it had become inevitable that sooner or later other people would find out that Ranma was staying with her. That the Matriarch knew this and not only wasn't protesting, but was actually requesting Ukyo aid Ranma in winning freedom from Shampoo... She thought about this, then contrasted it with the mood Ranma had been in when she arrived. Bracing herself, Ukyo asked, "What's the bad?"

For another long interval he was silent, trying to figure out some way, any way to say it without it being such a blow to Ukyo. At last he gave up. If there were such words, they were beyond his ability in this moment. Grimacing, Ranma forced himself just to spit it out. "If... if we can't win through this... I'm gonna have to marry Shampoo."

"What exactly did she say to you, that you think you can't fight any more than that?" Ukyo asked in a tone Death himself might have envied. "Or should I ask, what did she do?"

"She didn't do anything. She just reminded me of something you already had, the single thing I'm most ashamed of. That when Shampoo was under the curse of the Reversal Jewel and I wanted her to be nice to me again, I even went so far as to fight--" he cut himself off. "No, it's worse than that. I challenged her and flat-out told her that according to her law she had to marry a guy who defeated her in battle, an' then I did just that.

"That... that's what she reminded me about... told me that after all the stuff I've done, all the times I've gone to them for help and free food and whatever, if I just throw Shampoo away then it's either me or her who dies to make up for the dishonor."

Ranma drew his knees up to his chest and curved his arms around them, eyes still tightly closed. "You know how I saw all that stuff from my life when I was getting my Water empowerment, Ucchan? You remember how I told you I wasn't able to hold onto all of it, but I kept the most important stuff? I thought that was all the hard lessons I was gonna have to learn anytime soon. For damn sure I was wrong about that. This hurts... hurts so much... and I never saw it comin'."

"What hard lessons did you learn back then, Ranma?" Ukyo demanded. She only just managed to keep from going further, from lashing out with her own hurt. There was no way he'd endured the kind of pain she did to earn this rebirth, this shot at a new life. Ukyo had thought her own agony was an acceptable price to pay to give her beloved Ranchan a chance at a better life. Hearing him talk now about letting the Amazons force him into marriage with Shampoo made her feel like pure molten Darkness was bubbling up in her soul.

Not really aware that his girlfriend was teetering on a knife's edge, fighting to keep from scourging him with words as painful as anything Cologne had said, Ranma explained. "I saw the mistakes I'd made, and that Pop had made. I had to face the fact that the Saotome family honor has been dead for a long time, and that I've made my own fair share of mistakes too. Like letting Ryoga sleep in Akane's bed as P-chan. I didn't try near hard enough to stop that, and it's not the only time I've made a dishonorable mistake. I can't do anything to fix that, there's no way I can 'honorably' resolve all the stuff in my life. Not without seppuku, anyway, and I refuse to throw my life away. So all I can do is try and do what's right from now on, not worry about honor or agreements made for me by Pop.

"That's why I told you what I did, back when I said I was ending the engagements, and... and that I'd like to try something real with you..." Ranma took a deep, shuddering breath. "I can say 'screw honor, I'm only going to do what I think is right', but that don't get me out of Amazon trouble. I've used Shampoo an' her granny for my own selfish benefit time and time again, almost never giving anything back, and by their laws if I just walk away from her after that then either they have to kill me for sayin' she's worthless, or she has to die for agreeing to it."

That little revelation displaced a significant portion of Ukyo's hurt, replacing it with desperation. "But... that can't... there must be a way out!"

"I already told you there is. Cologne's gonna tell me about it, remember?" Ranma reminded her. Ukyo smacked her forehead and muttered "Pay better attention, idiot!" under her breath. "As soon as we deal with Kaori and Kaede. That is," he took another deep breath, "she said if we do a good job of ending things with the other two girls, she'll tell me what I can do to get out of marrying Shampoo without hurting her." He looked away, eyes not really focused as he stared off into the distance. "Or at least without destroying her life."

"She'll only tell you what you can do if she decides she's satisfied with how you ended things with those other two?! Y'know, Ranma, that seems awfully fishy if you ask me. It ain't exactly like you can try again if she said your first attempt wasn't good enough!" Ukyo declared. "This sounds like a trick to me."

"If you got any ideas on how to handle this any better, I'm all ears. It ain't exactly like we can beat the truth out of her," Ranma said sarcastically. Ukyo grimaced, recognizing the essential truth of those words. And now that the Amazons were back within the safety of the Cat Café and whatever safeguard lurked there, she didn't dare try touching Cologne's dreams to see for herself.

"And anyway," he continued, "I think we can trust her. She may have tricked me a couple of times in the past, but she's never outright told me something that wasn't true. She did say that she'd tell us what to do if we did a good enough job with Kaori and Kaede. I think..." he swallowed nervously. "I think she's mainly trying to figure out how serious I am about stickin' with you. Because I had to tell her that was why I didn't want to do what she said."

"You'd think the old mummy would be a little more reasonable, then," Ukyo growled, fighting an unexpected surge of embarrassment. "It's not that hard to understand that you might rather date one girl than go ahead and immediately marry another."

"That's not what she was telling me to do," Ranma responded quietly. "What she told me she expected me to do with Shampoo is basically what we're doing. Dating, getting to know each other better, not going too fast..." He closed his eyes. "I have never treated her how she deserves, and even now I'm fighting for the privilege of keepin' on doing that. And as long as I can fight I'll keep on trying, trying to get out of doing what I honorably should. If... if you're gonna stick with me, Ucchan, you better understand that. I'm not anywhere near as perfect as I once thought I was. Got a whole lot more of Pop in me than I ever wanted to admit."

"Well, if I was a saint I'd bite my lip, struggle for a few moments, then bravely tell you that instead of all this you first ought to try what Cologne said. Spend as much time with Shampoo as you do with me, see if you might decide you'd rather go with her. But I'm not going to say anything like that," Ukyo said.

Ranma turned and looked at her. All he could see was the back of her head, as she had turned away to face towards the opposite end of the tunnel. For a moment he wondered whether that had really been a back-handed offer to let him do just that, made in the only way she could bring herself to do, or whether it truly was Ukyo lamenting, as he had, that she couldn't find the heart to do what she felt like she really ought to.

Either way it didn't matter. He shrugged. "So you're doing the same thing I am. What you want to."

"I... guess so..." Ukyo said, trembling as she turned back to face him. "If there's any chance... as long as you want me, I'll fight through hell itself to be with you, honor and obligation be damned..."

"I do want you," Ranma whispered, unable to find breath enough to proclaim it more firmly.

He was fairly sure, afterward, that she was the one who made the first move. But it didn't matter much, not later, certainly not in that moment. Ranma closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss, thoughts dissolving with one last coherent phrase, '_Honor and obligation be damned indeed.'_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_'This is really going to hurt,' _Akane thought bitterly.

The thought had been lurking at the back of her mind ever since she'd set out on her current task. She had tried to deny it, tried to push it away, tried to ignore it--none of those attempts had been successful. The cold awareness stayed, weighing her down and slowing her to half her normal speed. If she'd been in a good mood, she might already have been at the Cat Café by now.

Well, she didn't think she'd be enjoying a good mood anytime soon. But maybe if she faced these thoughts squarely, she could at least recapture the determination she'd had at first, back when she'd decided to do this. Akane walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, grimacing as she forced herself to envision just what she was walking toward.

_'I wonder how long this whole thing started. How long they were all planning for him to walk away from me and go to her,' _she thought. _'A while, probably. It couldn't have been quick or easy for Shampoo to get his cure. And this training trip they just got back from... yeah, right, I'm so sure. More like a chance for Shampoo to get out of town and meet up with Ranma. I bet the two of them had a lot of real intense workouts during this week._

_'And he has to have come back with them now... that's why all this stuff is happening, why her grandmother got Daddy and Mr. Saotome to go along with this. She wouldn't have done that yet if he wasn't going to be around to go through with his part. He's got to be there, staying at the Cat Café all nice and warm and cozy with Shampoo...' _

The thoughts hurt like a knife through her chest, and frankly they were weakening her resolve rather than strengthening it. Nonetheless Akane didn't push them away. Rather, she forced herself to face them in their whole horrible measure, suffering yet more pain that was the fault of her faithless former fiancé... and then, when she could feel herself wavering, quivering on the very edge of getting up and running back home and letting all the rest of this junk pass her by, she called up a picture of Kasumi.

Sweet, gentle, innocent Kasumi, who'd done so much for her family. Who'd been there for her time and time again, who'd looked out for her little sister with a grace and a kindness that Mother hadn't been able to stay and give. Kasumi, who had taught Akane so many lessons that their father couldn't. Kasumi, who was too innocent for her own good. Kasumi, who was too willing to see the good in people and turn an oblivious eye to the bad. Kasumi, who would surely end up hurt just as much as her little sister had been, if that little sister didn't step forward and defend her now.

"I won't let it happen," Akane whispered fiercely, her resolve strengthening once more. "Won't let Kasumi get hurt. Ranma's already got Shampoo, that can damn well be enough for him. And I'll tell him that to his face no matter what kind of new garbage Shampoo has to dump on me."

It was enough to get her on her feet again and moving ever closer to the Cat Café, though it didn't silence all her doubts and trepidation. She was sure that was where Ranma was staying. However, that did not necessarily mean that he would be there when she arrived. If Ranma should be out and Shampoo still there to greet her (not that Akane thought this was very likely, but she knew better than to trust her luck), then the encounter waiting for her would likely be as pointless as it would be painful. Talking to Ranma might accomplish something. An encounter with Shampoo would be an exercise in bitter futility.

_'Or maybe not,' _Akane thought, her pace slowing again as a new thought struck her. _'Maybe talking to Shampoo would work too.' _After all, even as high-and-mighty as she was, as much as the lavender-haired girl acted as if everyone else was nothing compared to her, there had been plenty of times when she'd gone out of her way to show her wifely skills to Ranma. Times when she'd done her best to present herself as the best he could possibly ask for in a marriage partner. Shampoo knew something at least of the Japanese ideal in a wife, she'd shown that clearly, and it was equally clear that she didn't want Ranma thinking other girls might have more to offer in that arena than she did.

_'But she has to know she can never beat Kasumi like that. All I have to do is point that out to her, and she'll get too jealous to even think about letting Ranma go after Kasumi too.' _Akane turned the idea over and over in her head, trying to find some flaw in it. None were apparent. As jealous as Shampoo was, as eager as she was to control Ranma, surely the Amazon wouldn't risk him really getting close to someone like Kasumi. Sooner or later even as big an idiot as Ranma would have to stop, take a good long look at what he had, and make a few comparisons of relative worth. As soon as that happened, Shampoo would be lucky to retain even half of Ranma's affection and attention. Akane was sure that the Amazon wouldn't be willing to accept that.

_'Would she try and stop it at Kasumi's end, rather than Ranma's? This wouldn't put big sister in danger, would it?'_ That was a thought that Akane considered carefully, or at least tried to. It wasn't very easy to do so; she kept hitting some sort of mental block whenever she tried to imagine Shampoo really getting tough with Kasumi. The very concept was unthinkable. _'No, she won't. Heck, she can't. Kasumi's not a fighter, she won't be fighting Shampoo and she isn't an obstacle either. Not really, not in the way that matters. No, if I can get through to Shampoo's jealousy she'll do the right thing and take it all out on Ranma.'_

It was a good plan, Akane decided, and began walking forward a little more quickly. It still didn't remove all unpleasantness from the thought of her upcoming confrontation, but it felt better than her previous idea had. Her initial goal had just been to talk to Ranma and do whatever it took to get him to give up on the idea of sinking his claws into her sister. Akane had been uneasily aware that the only effective way she could clearly see to do that would be to hurt him some more, hurt him enough that he couldn't even stomach the thought of her as a sister-in-law. Despite how much pain he'd caused her, how he'd never really and truly cared for her, Akane wasn't sure she could go that far. She had just been hoping that further inspiration would present itself in the moment of truth.

Well, this inspiration had come well before the moment of truth, and the youngest Tendo was grateful. Playing on Shampoo's jealousy was a much better idea. Even if it would require her to talk to the one person she'd give the most to never, ever encounter again in her life.

Akane had walked another two blocks' distance, reminding herself that this was for Kasumi and doing her best to push away all the remaining unhappiness at facing Shampoo, when another inspiration struck. Did she really need to do this in person? Was it truly necessary to get right in Shampoo's face and spell out all the ways Kasumi was better than her? Shampoo had to already be aware of these issues, at least subconsciously. She might be going along with this idea for now, but she couldn't be enthusiastic about it. There wasn't any need to be as blunt as Akane had been planning. If some other girl, one of Ranma's other suitors, came along and stirred up Shampoo's catty nature, Akane was sure it would be enough to cause a general revolt. The lavender-haired girl would be telling Ranma that he was hers and hers alone before the dust of Kaori's departure had even settled!

Akane blinked. _'Why Kaori?' _she thought, wondering why the vague thought of 'some other girl' had crystallized so completely in so little time. But the answer wasn't long in coming. Ukyo had been hurt enough by Ranma Saotome in the past, and she was finally free. No way was Akane going to be the one to encourage her to step back into that tangled web of pain. Kodachi was long gone, and she didn't know where Kaede lived. But since she'd followed Ranma that one time, to see whether he really was going to Kaori's place for a study date rather than off to a movie or whatever, she knew just where the Martial Arts Takeout girl was staying. It would be easy enough to go over there, explain things to Kaori, and get her worked up enough to send Shampoo's possessiveness level through the roof.

"Well, well. Looks like I don't have so far to go as I thought."

On hearing that, Akane blinked, turned, stared, and realized things were apparently going to be even easier than she'd thought. Kaori herself was standing not far away, at the point where a lane branched off the road Akane had been walking along. "Why can't I get this lucky when it really matters," the youngest Tendo grumbled to herself.

"I'm glad to see you here, Akane," Kaori continued, stalking forward. The tone of her voice and the cold expression on her face didn't mesh well with the words. Nonetheless she had meant them; the things she had to say to Akane would work better here, out in the open, rather than in the Tendo home. Having her sisters and father listening in would have made it a good bit harder for Akane to react to Kaori's message as the Daikoku daughter desired. "I've got something to say to you."

"What's that?" Akane asked, beginning to reevaluate her initial impression that this meeting was a fortunate one. Kaori was dressed in the same uniform she'd worn during the Takeout Race so long ago. She was carrying what looked like a delivery of ramen. Akane supposed it was possible that the other girl had acquired a part-time job and had been carrying that to a paying customer... but the youngest Tendo suspected it was far more likely that these noodles were intended for combat rather than consumption.

"I heard something very interesting yesterday from some of the girls at school," Kaori hissed back, her eyes narrowing. "They said you'd done this before! Gotten really angry at Ranma, broken the engagement, and then when you'd decided he had suffered enough, you were gracious enough to take him back! Let me clue you in, Miss Tendo--" she whipped out a single chopstick and sent it ripping through the takeout box, the chi-infused wood slicing cleanly through metal, letting the pieces of the container fall away and leaving the bowl of ramen resting safely in her hand, "it's not happening again!"

"You, you think that..." Akane's voice trailed off as a vision came out of nowhere, of Ranma saying he was sorry and that he'd finally told Shampoo to make tracks for China, of asking her to please let things go back to how they had been...

She shook her head, trying to dislodge the curiously persistent image. "No... no!" she muttered.

"No?" Kaori inquired sweetly. "No, you're not going to do that? No, you're not going to hurt Ranma even more?" Suddenly she was holding a second chopstick, and both implements were deep within the broth and noodles, swirling the strands into a coherent rope that lashed out and shattered pavement five feet away from Akane. The girl jumped, flinching and stumbling backwards as whatever distracting thought she'd been viewing finally vanished. "No, you're not going to force me to come by and destroy your family's school of the Art?"

"What did you say?!" Akane demanded, belatedly drawing into a ready stance.

"You heard me! I'm not letting Ranma be hurt by you or your family anymore!" Especially not since it had been Akane's own sister causing the suffering which Kaori had mentioned earlier. "You're going to make me a promise on all your honor, Akane. A promise to break your engagement to Ranma for real this time, and never take it up again."

"And what if I don't?" Akane snarled, too angry at the very idea of a demand being made of her to really consider just what she was protesting.

Kaori's eyes narrowed into an even more malevolent glare. She flicked the noodles back into their bowl, produced three more chopsticks to go with the pair she already held, and threw the five of them in a spread that landed in a rough circle around Akane. Each strip of wood sank nearly half its own length into the concrete before its payload of chi was expended. "You couldn't take me on the best day of your life, Akane," she warned. "If you refuse to make that promise, you want to know what I'll do?" She smiled. "I won't attack you here. I won't insult you or threaten you. I'll turn around, and walk away.

"And tomorrow, or the next day, you'll receive a challenge letter in the mail. And on the day that letter specifies, I'll come to your home, and I'll fight you when there's no too-generous-for-his-own-good guy around to jump in and save you, and after it's all over I'll take your dojo's sign and grind it to sawdust while your whole family watches." Kaori took three quick steps forward, not quite enough to enter Akane's personal space, but still more than enough to up the discomfort level. "And if I'm still feeling as angry in our fight as I am now, then I'll make very sure to hurt you as much as I know you've hurt my fiancé in the past."

With that Kaori pulled back, just enough to let her get a better look at Akane and judge the effect of her words. The other girl was trembling, pale, her fists clenched, her eyes screwed tightly shut. Her posture still vaguely resembled the defensive stance she'd taken earlier, but there was neither control nor discipline evident there now. She didn't look to be on the verge of charging into an all-out attack, but Kaori held ready anyway, mentally prepared to dodge, engage the Daikoku Secure Delivery, and retreat while her soon-to-be-for-real opponent was held in stasis.

"Do you know how tired I am of this?" That certainly wasn't an answer Kaori had expected. Akane's posture hadn't changed, and her eyes were still clenched closed. "I don't care what you said. This isn't about me. It's never about me! It's always about Ranma! You're here, treating me like I'm nothing, just like how every other girl who wants him does. Pushing and shoving and thinking only what she wants matters. I'm the one who has to be uncute, the kitchen destroyer, the tomboy, the violent girl, the joke," her eyes snapped open and she glared back at Kaori as fiercely as the other girl had, "the one whose life gets turned upside down and shaken around and taken away from her. Nobody ever asks me what I want, what I think, whether I like having all this stupid craziness come out of nowhere and land on me.

"THAT'S what Ranma has been for me," she continued. Despite herself Kaori took a step back at the sheer bitterness she heard in the other girl's words. "I haven't been able to say I was really in control of my life for more than a year now. And it's his fault! You think I want that back?! Want to go right back to the fire that burned me over and over again?! Dream on, Kaori. I want Ranma out of my life and out of the lives of my family. We've been hurt enough. You want him, you're more than welcome to him. Right now I wouldn't lift a finger to keep you from hurting yourself like that. As far as I can tell, you deserve it."

Kaori checked her initial impulse, holding back from the attack that it would have been so easy to make. She forced Akane's words to the back of her mind, reaching out instead for a memory, one of breathlessness and wind and a view of the city spread out before her, of warm sunlight and blue sky and a redhead who hadn't held any grudges for Kaori's earlier mistaken mistreatment. Other memories followed, thoughts of lessons given and received, of simple companionship and the times she'd brought a smile to her fianc's face.

She focused her attention again on the present, and the girl standing a few feet away from her. "By rights I could thrash the living daylights out of you for saying all that, Akane, but I don't have the heart." Nor did she think she even had the words to explain just what she'd meant by that, not to herself, certainly not to Akane. "Just give me the promise I asked for. If you really feel that way, it shouldn't be any hardship."

"F- fine. You've got it," Akane retorted, speaking through a lump in her throat that she assured herself was just anger. "You're too late anyway. Mr. Saotome decided he didn't want Ranma marrying me after all. He talked to the Amazons and fixed it up to support Shampoo instead. If you want him, you'd better go face her down for him. N- not me."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As soon as he was through the door, Tetsuro Daikoku stopped dead. He took a long, deep, evaluating sniff of the air within the apartment. The grimace that spread across his face made it obvious that he was none too pleased with the results.

Moving more slowly now, he crossed the living room floor and made his way into the kitchen. The source of the faint acrid chemical tang was revealed here; the sink and its adjoining counters had been retrofitted into a compact chemistry workspace. Kaori was there, dressed in the appropriate protective gear, both hands rock-steady as her right dripped the correct components into a large batch of misfortune cookies, while the left applied the perfectly-warped chi field that rendered the cookies safe to carry, as safe as the chopsticks and noodles that were the mainstay of their style. For all their devastating potential, the misfortune cookies wouldn't detonate until primed with another application of chi.

That didn't mean he was particularly happy to see his daughter brewing up the things, though.

He waited patiently until she'd finished, pulling off her safety goggles and turning around to face him. "Hello, Father," she said. "I didn't expect you for awhile yet."

"I finished my business a lot quicker than I thought I would." Tetsuro wrinkled his nose. "I would have rather come back to an apartment that smelled nicer than this."

Kaori blinked. "I didn't think the smell from making these was strong enough to bother anybody."

"That's not what I'm talking about," her father replied quietly. "Kaori dear, you know that a Master of our school develops the Chef's Sixth Sense."

The brunette stared back at him dubiously. Her father had always claimed that his level of mastery had allowed his nose to become super-sensitive, perceiving hidden things as strong scents, and there had indeed been times when he'd seemed to pick up on things he couldn't normally have known. On the other hand, the memory was still green in Kaori's mind of the night her father had dropped a million yen in a casino, swearing all the while that he could smell the laws of chance just about to bend in his favor.

"Well, what did you think you smelled, Father?" she asked, giving him the benefit of her doubt.

"Anger. Hurt. Two things I really don't want my little girl feeling," Tetsuro answered. "Kaori, what's wrong? Who did you bake those cookies for?"

Kaori held rigidly silent for several moments, then replied, "I went to confront Akane Tendo, to tell her what would happen if she tried to take Ranma back once more. And she told me that Shampoo has secured his father's support, and that Ranma is staying with her now! That he has been for the past week and more!"

"And you're going to go challenge her," Tetsuro surmised, looking at the cookies with a jaundiced eye. That many could conceivably level a building the size of the Cat Café, although such a level of destruction would require careful placement by a demolitions expert.

"That's right!"

"Why?"

Kaori's mouth opened and closed fruitlessly for some little while. Eventually, she managed to ask, "What do you mean, why?"

Tetsuro grimaced, and looked away, not particularly wanting to watch his little girl's eyes as he said this next part. "Sweetie, what do you think I mean? What does it say about him, about how things are, if he's been staying there? That he hasn't even bothered to come by and say hello to you?"

He dared a glance back toward his daughter. She was turned away, her face hidden as she stared down at the batch of misfortune cookies. "You know that sometimes there comes a time to cut your losses and walk away, Kaori. How much farther do things have to go before you decide that time is now? I don't want my little girl to suffer needlessly."

"And you think if I leave now that won't happen?" Kaori growled. "How can you even ask me that, Father? What if we did leave now, pack up and go home without even seeing Ranma again? I'd never know what happened, whether he was all right, whether he even had a choice in what happened to him! Maybe you've forgotten what happened back when I first fought Shampoo, what she showed then about how she treats my fiancé. But I haven't."

"No, I haven't forgotten," Tetsuro retorted. "You told me he dived between the two of you, taking a strong attack that Shampoo had just launched toward you. I don't see how that becomes some terrible indictment of how she treats him."

Kaori made a disgusted sound. "Oh, that's right, I didn't tell you the really infuriating part, did I? Didn't tell you just what started my fight with her in the first place." She hadn't wanted to remember it at the time. "I saw the two of them together, coming back from what Shampoo said was a date anyway. Ranma tried to bid her a civil good night, and she grabbed him and kissed him. Just took what she wanted from him!"

Tetsuro decided there probably wasn't any point in drawing a parallel to the tactics Kaori herself had used in their first visit to Nerima. It doubtless wouldn't do anything to settle his daughter's mood. He did begin humming the tune to 'A Kiss is Just a Kiss', before realizing that the song was probably too old for his daughter to recognize. "All right, I suppose that didn't make a very good impression. But let's put aside any questions about the Amazons for now. I want you to think about something else, Kaori, tell me this. All the anger and hurt you're feeling now, the worry and the loneliness I've seen in you, all the friends and everything else from our old life that we had to leave behind to come here..." He took a deep breath, then gently asked, "Is it worth it? Is he worth it?"

Silence fell, lasting for a full minute. Eventually, Kaori admitted, "I don't know. I... I know what I want, Father, but I don't... I don't know how much more I'm willing to pay for some of it...

"He's special. More special than I could ever have understood from our first time here. And I, I want things to go back to what they were! I want to spend more time with him, hang out, learn from him, help him learn new things too! I don't want to lose, and I don't want to fail my fiancé again!

"That, that's the real issue there." She took a deep breath. "Maybe I could give up on the first part, but it's irrelevant. Never mind any other questions for now. There's no way I could live with myself if I walked away and found out later that because I did he wound up back where he was when we came. I'm not leaving until I know he won't fall victim to the same old troubles that have hurt him so much. It's why we came back, remember?!"

"I remember," Tetsuro answered her. "It's just that I'm having a little trouble making the leap from that," he waved his hand aimlessly, as if to indicate all their hopes and good intentions, "to this." Pointing now straight at the counterful of high explosives.

"It's something I have to do." Kaori's tone brooked no room for argument. "I won't take this lying down, I won't give up and roll over and go quietly into the night. No matter what happens, Shampoo is going to know she was in a fight."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kaede checked her watch for the twentieth time. Still ten minutes to go.

She made a sound that was part grunt, part sigh, leaned back against the rock, and closed her eyes. She concentrated on the remaining sensations: the sound of the wind in the trees, the warmth of the few beams of morning sunlight that snaked through the cover to strike her, the solidity of the stone at her back. All of that put together wasn't enough to truly distract her from thoughts of what was to come, but at least it helped a little.

The breeze died momentarily, leaving the clearing still and silent. With her eyes closed, Kaede could almost hear the sound of her own heartbeat. Even more clearly, though, she could hear a voice out of memory, a scant few handfuls of words from the previous night. Nothing momentous in and of themselves, but carrying the certain promise of change.

Her fiancé had finally returned. And he'd asked to meet her here, in the place where they'd had their first real, deep conversation. The place where they'd first truly connected.

Kaede only hoped this meeting would go as well as that one had. Ranma hadn't spoken for long on the phone, hadn't said anything more than that he was back in town, but his tone had told her more than his words might have been intended to. She had heard weariness and hurt there, and had once more had to forcibly restrain herself from going over and laying down some retribution on the Tendos. Having Akane break the engagement was one thing, a thing that Kaede didn't suppose had ultimately bothered him all that much, but being thrown out of the place he'd lived in for over a year must have been far more painful. Ranma had taken this long to come back, and was still hurting as far as she had been able to tell from that brief contact. _'I'll do my best to make you feel better, Ranma,'_ she thought. _'Just give me the chance to. You don't have to go it alone.'_

"Hey, Kaede," Ranma said quietly.

The girl's eyes shot open, and she jumped to her feet. "Not bad," she said after gulping once or twice. "I never even heard you come up. Pretty sneaky."

He shrugged. "Force of habit, I guess. So... it's been a while. How've you been?"

"I've had plenty of ups and downs these past three weeks," Kaede replied. For a moment she wondered where to start. Her training, her defeat and then victory over her greatest competitor, the times she'd spent missing him, the times she'd spent hoping desperately that Shampoo had known what she was talking about and that Ranma would be back soon. So much to tell him... but that wasn't really the right way to start things out, was it? "But I'm not the one who got so much crap dumped on him that he had to take a trip to clear his head. Tell me about you, Ranma. How... how are you? How have you been doing?"

"Like you said. Ups and downs," he answered quietly. "But... come on, Kaede. I asked about you because I wanted to know. What's been going on?"

"Well, okay." Best to start with the thing she could tell him most easily, and work her way up to the 'I really missed you' part. "Biggest and best news--I beat Shampoo! Took her down fair and square, even though she pulled out even more stupid high-powered special techniques that I need to learn better counters for. It was a close fight," Kaede said modestly. "But when the dust settled, I was the one still standing!"

"When was this?"

"Let me think..." Kaede concentrated. "A week and two days ago." A thought which reminded her of something else, something that made the timing of her fianc's return even better. "In fact, she and her grandmother left on a training trip right after that. She's probably got some new tricks up her sleeve now, and it was hard enough to beat her the last time." Kaede turned slightly away, continuing to watch Ranma out of the corner of her eye. "If someone wanted to help me train to stay even with her, like for instance someone who's my age, the best at the Art that I've ever seen for that age, someone who's helped me before and I'm really thankful for it, someone I am very happy to see again..." At this point Kaede realized she'd lost the thread of her sentence, and just started another one. "I'd really be grateful."

"You want that?" One part of him was ready to jump at the offer. If he helped her enough, that would surely offset what his father had done to secure this engagement. However, another more practical part of him suspected it wasn't going to be that easy. She probably wasn't going to be in the mood to hang around him for training once she heard what he had come here to say. And then there was the fact that depending on what Cologne said he might not even be able to stick around in Nerima. "I'd be glad to help you if you want. But I'm... I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to."

"Huh? Why not?"

He took a deep breath. This was the best opening approach he and Ukyo had been able to come up with. It hadn't taken much discussion to decide against using Kaede's acknowledged honor-debt to Ukyo to get the other girl to give up. Neither teen had thought such a tactic would likely win many points with the Matriarch. No, anything like a command or demand could only be considered as an absolute last resort.

That didn't mean that talking about honor was out of the question, though. In fact it was the key to it all, or at least for the argument he would open with. Hopefully it would be enough. "How much do you know about what happened when I left the Tendos? What happened, why it happened?"

Kaede snorted. "I know they kicked you out because you wouldn't let Akane-the-novice fight Shampoo-the-freakin'-warrior-princess. Pretty pathetic behavior for a family that's supposed to care so much about the Art."

"It ain't really all that worse than other stuff they've done. And they're not the only offenders around here, you know." Ranma heaved a sigh. "I'm sure it's easy for you to rag on Mr. Tendo for what he did. But tell me something, Kaede. Have you ever really stopped and thought about what my old man did to you? And to the other girls? I know he gave you this cock an' bull story about what he meant by it all. I'm asking you now to forget that, cause he was lying through his teeth, and really stop and think about where I am. About what all his promises have really done for me."

"Seems to me that you aren't in too bad a place," Kaede said, trying and failing to completely hide the sudden note of uncertainty. "Yeah, it's still kind of tangled, but things are clearing up. There's only two fiancées that Genma arranged left in the race. Like he said, the ones who didn't have what it takes have dropped out. For that matter, you could almost say the same thing about Kaori. She quit and left for I don't know how long before changing her mind and coming back for another try. Seems to me that ought to count pretty heavily against her."

"Okay, let me try and be a little more blunt about this," Ranma said, closing his eyes. "My father made promises that he knew couldn't all be kept. He took the stuff the other girls' fathers offered as dowries. Your family might not have been any worse off after your dad taught my dad those moves, but that don't change the fact that he did it for a promise that my old man didn't really mean.

"It was sort of the same thing with Kaori. And with Ucchan it's a hell of a lot worse than that. He took their yattai, their family business, as her dowry, he agreed to take her along with us on our journey, and took off with the cart and left her by the side of the road when her father wasn't around to do anything about it."

A long, cold silence followed these words. At last, with some difficulty, Kaede broke it. "I... I never heard that..."

"Well, now you know. Your father told you how good my dad was at the Art. He is that," _'when he's not being a lazy bum, anyway,'_ "but you need to wake up and see the rest of it. He's done everything he can to make me the best at the Art he could manage, and to get what he thought would be a good life for us." Ranma's eyes shot open, staring directly into Kaede's. "If honor got in the way of that, he tossed it aside without a second thought. He lied, and cheated, and stole, and did whatever seemed like a good idea at the time. And I swear to you, Kaede, he did the same thing to you. Ever since we got to Nerima he's been pushing me to marry Akane so I can carry on the Anything Goes School using the Tendo Dojo. Now that she's finally managed to get it through his head that she ain't an acceptable choice, he's just switched over to her sister Kasumi as the Tendo fiancée to push."

"Are you here to tell me you're going along with that?" Kaede asked, in a voice that sounded to Ranma like it should have come from a girl ten years younger.

He shook his head in quick negation. "No. I'm through letting him mess things up for me. I'm making my own choices from now on."

"So... so what you're saying..." The words came with some difficulty, Kaede speaking through a sudden bout of deep, heaving breaths for air. "Are... are you working up to telling me... telling me you're going to decide for yourself, without worrying about what your father wants?"

"That's part of it, yeah." He paused, wishing to heaven for some kind of inspiration, to help him bridge the gap from general to specific as gently as possible.

Before he could think of what to say next, Kaede was speaking again, the words coming slow at first but then picking up speed. "Okay... I understand how you feel about that. But how much does that really change, Ranma? The Tendos are still out. Ukyo's still out. It really just leaves you where you were before, right? I don't need you to be my official honor-bound fiancé to still want to be with you."

"Kaede..."

"Nothing's really changed because of this, right? You're still going to go with whoever's best for you. That's no different. I'm not afraid to fight for that, to show you that should be me. I, I told you before, the person you are is just what I've always hoped for and wanted. You're exactly who I hoped you would be. Even if your father didn't mean the engagement for real, it did enough by letting us meet."

"Kaede!" This time he managed to cut through her now-frantic speech. She gulped, fell silent, stared at him expectantly and fearfully. Unable to bear that sight, he looked away. "I'm sorry," he said, the words barely above the level of a whisper. "I can't."

A long moment of silence followed, broken by a muffled choking gulp of sound. Ranma wisely kept his eyes averted. "Y- you can't, huh," he heard Kaede gasp. "Can't... can't even try? Can't even imagine th- that you might want to stay with me?"

Ranma doubted the wisest man in the world would know how to respond to that. He certainly couldn't find the words just now. Kaede continued speaking, her voice clearly wavering on the ragged edge of control. "Then who, Ranma? C- can you tell me that?!" Not a question he'd wanted to answer, but maybe it would help. However, before he could speak, Kaede carried on, eliminating the misconception her previous words had raised. "Who, if not you? Wh- who in this world is ever going to be able to l- love a girl like me?"

From the sound of things she was moving away from tears now, but the pain was, if anything, sinking deeper and deeper into her. "I know... know I'm not pretty. Not much of a homemaker. Don't 'have what it takes', as one guy so kindly put it back when I still attended school. I'm a pretty pathetic failure as far as the damned Japanese feminine ideal goes. I, I never wanted to be that, never cared about being all sweet and demure and cute and domestic. I followed the thing I really love, the Art my father showed me. He supported me all the way, never even hinted that he would have rather had a son to pass his teachings on to. Even our marriage w- was supposed to be equal partners who could help each other walk down that road.

"And... if you can't... if someone like you, who loves the Art too and wants to stay on that road all your life, if you don't think what I've got to offer is worth having..." Fresh sobs rose up and choked her for a moment. "W- what chance do I have of ever f- finding a good guy who w- w- wants me?"

"DAMMIT, POP, WHY DID YOU SET ME UP FOR THIS?!" The scream didn't make Ranma feel much better, but it at least broke his paralysis. He forced himself to turn again and look steadily at Kaede. The sight of her wide-eyed, tear-stained, trembling face would haunt him for a long time to come. "Listen, Kaede, that ain't it! There's nothing wrong with you!"

He was rewarded by a sudden glare of vicious hostility. "S- spare me your pity and your lies, Ranma. Y- you can't seriously expect me to, to believe..." The glare faded into a sudden look of hurt understanding. Kaede looked down at the ground. "Wait. I bet... bet there is one thing wrong w- with me. I got here too late. That, that's what you're trying to say, isn't it?"

A hundred different thoughts whirled through Ranma's head as he tried to decide how to answer that. It was true that Kaede hadn't showed up until after Ucchan had made that fateful visit to the Cursed Antique Shop. What if she had arrived in Nerima a year earlier than she did? How would things be different?

Since there was absolutely no way at all to answer that question, his response to hers seemed obvious. "Yeah," he whispered. "I'm sorry, Kaede."

"I'm s- sorry too." She fell silent, obviously struggling over the next thing she had to say. At last she was able to get it out. "Shampoo is one lucky girl."

"What?!" Ranma gasped, caught a little too off-balance by that comment, since it ultimately couldn't have been more wrong. He might have been giving Kaede the truth he owed her, but that didn't change the fact that this confrontation was also part of his fight _not_ to marry Shampoo.

"Who else?" Kaede demanded, looking him in the eye again, now with a new measure of desperate intensity. "Everything you've said, sounds like you're t- talking about her. Not worrying about your father's promises, not g- giving me a chance because I got here t- too late... if not her, who?!"

Ranma opened his mouth to reply--and then paused, struck by a sudden awareness. _'Each time I say this, it comes a little easier, makes it seem a little more real. When did I decide it was okay to do this? To tell everyone that I already have chosen Ucchan?'_

Then he pushed the question aside. It didn't matter much, did it? Here and now, the least he owed Kaede was the truth. "The one I've known for the longest time," he replied, mentally wincing as he realized, too late, that what that had implied wasn't exactly true. Their childhood together certainly hadn't been the deciding factor. "Ukyo."

"Ukyo?! Her?! The one who..." Kaede's voice trailed off before she could finish the question. 'The one who abandoned you?!' she wanted to ask. 'The girl who gave up before any other one did?! That chef who only cares enough for the Art to give it what time she has left over from school and running a restaurant?!'

But she didn't have any right to ask these questions, did she now, Kaede thought bitterly.

Without another word she got to her feet and began walking away. When she reached the treeline she spoke again, letting the words carry back over her shoulder rather than turning to face him. "Tell Kuonji that as far as I'm concerned, my debt to her is paid in full."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_'When am I going to tell him?' _Genma asked himself, staring into his glass as if the answer were hidden within the beer suds. _'How am I going to do this? What am I going to say?'_ He sneaked a glance over to the side, where Soun was polishing off the last of his current glass. Two days had passed since the reunion with his son, two days in which Genma had tried and failed to find the nerve to contact Soun and explain that Ranma was back in town and their dreams were dust. They had already had plans to meet today at their old familiar watering hole. Genma knew that he was going to have to break the news sometime during this visit. It wasn't something that he could let slide any longer. The only question was, should he do this while Soun was still sober, wait for his friend to get partway into his cups, or hold off until the man was three sheets to the wind?

Waiting until Soun was completely soused seemed pretty attractive, except for one thing. If pushed too far, Tendo was one of the most unpredictable drunks in the history of mankind. The memory wasn't crystal clear (thankfully), due to his own state of considerable inebriation at the time it was formed, but Genma had once seen his friend summon a Demon Head large enough to rip a new skylight in the ceiling of the establishment where they had been slaking their thirst. Which was even more impressive considering that bar had been located in a basement.

The thought of repeating the mistake those poor, unlamented bar toughs had made all those years ago was none too appealing. Mind made up, Genma took a deep breath, and turned to face his friend.

"Soun and Genma, disciples of Demon Master! At last I find you!"

Mumbling obscenities under his breath, Genma shifted to face the direction from which the shout had come. Soun did likewise, substituting a nervous gulp for the profanity. Standing in the door of the bar, backlit dramatically by the evening sun, stood a... well, a figure. It was a little _too_ backlit for them to make out anything more.

Said figure stood haughtily still for one moment longer, then strode forward. On entering the lower light level of the bar proper, the newcomer was revealed to be a Chinese man a fingersbreadth shorter than Genma, with a paunch that rivaled the Saotome master's own. He stalked over to their table, stood bristling with indignation for a moment, then demanded, "Remember Yi Min? Yi Min, humble owner of Jade Horse Restaurant? Where you two come and order huge deluxe all-the-works meal for yourselves and Demon Master you train under, then skip out of town before paying? Well?!"

"Er, sorry, I'm afraid not," Soun admitted nervously. "That happened too many times for any particular instances to stick in the mind." The only times he really remembered were the ones where he'd used his daughters as collateral, like that Chardin fellow.

"Maybe this refresh your memory!" The man slammed an old, worn piece of paper down on the table. Looking closely at it, Genma realized it was the bill from that long ago incident. Furthermore, the amount of said bill, while a not inconsiderable sum for rural China of twenty years ago, was frankly not enough to concern him now. The punks who'd made the mistake of trying to mug Genma Saotome last night had been loaded with more yen than they could possibly have known what to do with.

Since he was shortly going to be giving his friend such bad news, Genma figured that this once he could do something he normally avoided like the plague. "All right, all right, no need to burst a blood vessel. I'll pay the thing."

"Ah, good. With age come wisdom, also decency, honesty, integrity, baldness, and forty pound or so. Of course other thing come with age too." Yi Min smiled broadly and turned the paper over. At the sight of the sum written on the other side, Genma's eyes bugged out wide enough to nudge his glasses forward. "Twenty year interest compounded continuously, expense of find you two, including costs of fighting and misleading others who want first shot at you, cost of living increase, tariff, fee, surcharge, sales tax, escrow, and miscellaneous expense."

Genma blanched, began sweating profusely, and scanned the room for the nearest exit. Better to grab Tendo and run, head for home, hide, and let Ranma deal w--the train of thought derailed as he gave a mental curse. The reflexive urge vanished as quickly as it had arisen, shredded by the unwelcome realization that that wasn't an option anymore. He didn't have a home to run to. His son had told him to his face that he didn't want anything to do with the wonderful deal Genma had worked out for him. The dream he'd held for so long was nothing but ashes now, and he still had to break the news to his best friend in the world, and this little excrescence dared to crawl in here and make ridiculous demands like this when there were real problems that he had to try and work through...

With a growl that could have come straight from his cursed form, Genma flipped the paper back over. "I'll pay this one," he said, glaring at Yi Min with more spirit than Soun could remember seeing in his friend since their reunion on that rainy day so long ago. "Don't even think about trying to gouge me for more. This really isn't a good time."

"So! You choose way of pain." Yi Min backed up half the distance to the door. "Say hello to miscellaneous expense! Ninjas, attack!"

And every other drinker in the establishment shot to his feet in a whirl of facemasks, black cloth, and discarded disguises.

If there had been even five more ninjas present, things would have gone differently. But Yi Min had been working on a budget, and during his search for the defaulting duo he had heard plenty of stories of them running from danger, or kowtowing their way out of it. And of course he'd had no way of knowing what sort of kicks in the teeth Genma had been enduring from life recently, he couldn't have foreseen that his timing frankly could not have been worse. He'd never heard anything to suggest Genma Saotome might find the backbone to give a wordless snarl and charge forward into his hired goons, knocking two of them unconscious before the rest could even begin to react.

Soun was caught nearly as much by surprise as everyone else. It took him even longer to react than it did the ninjas. At last, though, seeing that his friend had already narrowed the odds sufficiently that joining in didn't pose much threat to himself and did offer an excellent opportunity to work off recent stress, he leaped into the fray as well.

The ninjas didn't last long after that. Not five minutes later the last black-pajama'd figure was sleeping peacefully, and Yi Min had been forcefully ejected through the front door of the bar, his bill and the original sum of yen rolled up into a sheaf of paper that Genma had fitted neatly into the restaurateur's left nostril. The two Masters of Anything Goes were back at their original table, waiting for the serving girls to get up the nerve to reappear and resume service.

"Ah, that was a nice little workout," Soun said meditatively. "It brings to mind the good times we shared on the road, so long ago."

"All three of them," Genma chuckled. Usually Happosai stirred up enough ire that if a force caught up with them, it was too large or too female for his two disciples to handle it as handily as they had this one.

"The smooth places were awfully few and far between, weren't they?" Soun paused thoughtfully, then snagged a bottle of sake off a table whose original ninja occupant wouldn't be needing it anymore. Disdaining one of the dinky little glasses or saucers the liquid was meant to be served in, he took a long pull directly from the bottle. "You know, Saotome, perhaps you and I should take another trip before long. Earn ourselves some more peaceful, pleasant memories of the road."

Genma raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Are you serious, Tendo? With things as they are now?"

"Well, not exactly as they are now," Soun clarified. "I meant once your son gets back and the first shock of things is settled with him and my dear Kasumi. It might..." He gave a melancholy sigh, took another swig of sake, then continued, "Might be better for us to get out of the way. At least at first. We've done our part by fixing our past mistakes and setting things up for Ranma to be with Kasumi and Shampoo. I think it might be the best thing we could do, to step back and let them have some space to sort things out for themselves now."

"Where'd you get an idea like that?"

"It was something Akane told me. She said that she hated how much she felt like I was pushing her toward Ranma. I'm not saying that had anything to do with them not working out," Soun hastened to clarify. "But since it really did bother my little girl, I'd as soon not repeat my mistake with Kasumi. And she's certainly grown-up enough to make her own way in something like this without her old father looking over her shoulder all the time.

"Anyway, that's my idea. We should take a nice little training trip to let them sort things out. They'll probably thank us for it. And if they do run into troubles that they can't solve without our wisdom and guidance, why, then after we get back and help them they'll be grateful for that too, and more thankful for our help in the future."

Genma broke out in a cold sweat. That his friend was being so philosophical might well mean that he was farther under the alcohol's influence than the elder Saotome had realized. Perhaps Tendo had downed a couple of extra bottles of sake in the interval between Genma starting the fight and Soun joining it. Best to break the news to him now, before things got any worse.

Deciding just to spit it out, he blurted, "Tendo, Ranma _is_ back in town."

And then he spent the next several seconds wiping off the sake Soun had spit over his face.

Finishing up with his coughing at about the same time Genma completed his ablutions, the Tendo patriarch demanded hoarsely, "H- he is? When?! Where?! Why?!"

_'What you really ought to have asked is 'Who','_ Genma thought sourly. Aloud, he said, "I talked to him the other day. Old friend... brace yourself." Unable to meet the other's eyes any longer, Genma dropped his gaze to the table before him. "I told him about what you and I agreed. Told him all about the wonderful provision we'd made for him. And he turned me down flat, Tendo. Said there was no way he was going along with it."

"Saotome..." The words came in a warning growl that quickly prompted Genma to further speech.

"It's not my fault, Soun! It's not either of our faults! You have no idea how much things have changed in the weeks since we had to leave. He was given the cure to his curse!"

THAT little tidbit of information was enough to shock Soun right out of his rising anger that anyone might consider his dear sweet Kasumi to be not good enough. "He... what?!" Had Akane ever communicated the misconception she'd been given by Ryoga, things would have gone rather differently. But she hadn't; neither Soun, nor Kasumi, nor yet Nabiki had had any knowledge of the loss of Jusenkyo's hold over their one-time houseguest. Soun's mouth gaped open and closed for several moments, before he found breath to ask, "How?"

"Ukyo, apparently," Genma said, taking a drink from the bottle of sake he'd retrieved while Soun was gaping. "He didn't come right out and say it, but reading between the lines from what he told me it was obvious that the only reason she gave up was because she thought she didn't have a chance. And then when Akane kicked us out of your home and Miss Kuonji managed to get her hands on a curse cure at about the same time, well, the timing couldn't have been better for her." He took another gulp of the rice wine. "Couldn't have been worse for us."

Soun was silent for a while, considering his response to this. Eventually he said, "Saotome, you and I both know that's not good enough. No matter what she did for him since then, it doesn't change the fact that she renounced her engagement to him. Our agreement still stands."

"You want to be the one to tell the boy that?" Genma asked bitterly. His bottle was empty now. He remedied this by walking over to another table and grabbing a replacement. "You and I both know that's not good enough at this point."

"At this point? What point? Why not?!" Soun demanded. "What are you trying to say?"

"Just relaying what my son threw back in my face," Genma replied. "Remember that damned Red Thread of Fate Shampoo nearly used to snare the boy? Remember how determined he was to go through with marrying her?" When his old friend nodded reluctantly, he continued, "And do you remember what we did about it?"

"I gave Akane a pair of scissors and told her that the thread should be cut by no-one's hand but hers," Soun retorted feebly.

Genma snorted fiercely enough to vibrate the empty bottles on their table. "There's no point in trying to weasel out of this, Soun. Neither one of us has the guts or the backbone to stand up to the boy if he's that determined about something. He didn't seem to realize it then, but he knows it now. Rubbed my nose in it quite well at our little get-together."

Ranma had also brought up another time then, the occasion when Natsume and Kurumi had taken up residence at the Tendo homestead, after Akane had run off in tears and Soun had slung Ranma out on his ear. Genma had tracked down his son and done his best to guide Ranma toward the kind of training he felt the boy needed to manage a comeback win. During that conversation he'd warned Ranma that if he broke his engagement to Akane then the two of them had nowhere to go. He hadn't _meant_ this to be an admission to Ranma that if he were truly determined to do so then Genma couldn't stop him. He hadn't even realized that his words had been such an admission until two days ago, when Ranma had pointed it out to him in a tone of solid steel.

On the whole, Genma decided he'd just as soon not tell Soun about that time. The first incident--in which both of them were equally culpable--was enough to make the point. He didn't know what had managed to bring these two damning incidents back to his son's mind at the worst possible time, or what had helped Ranma see the significance that had never quite dawned on Genma himself. But whatever it was, he'd cursed it up, down, sideways, and back-to-front.

"That... that..." Soun struggled for words for a few moments more, before finding them. "All right, I understand that. We've made mistakes. But that doesn't mean we have to keep on making them! You need to take charge of the situation, Saotome! This agreement is for the good of our schools, our families, and the Amazons as well! The three of us together would be a force to shake the heavens and the earth!" Or at least a formal alliance with the Amazons would be enough to finally rid them of the Master--the single biggest reason Soun had agreed to this deal. "You can't let your son throw something like that away! If he won't go along with it when you ask him, then you need to tell him!"

"Soun, listen to me," Genma pleaded quietly. "I'm willing to push my son exactly as far as you would one of your daughters. I'm just as willing to risk truly alienating him as you would be with Kasumi or Akane. How about that? Did you ever sit down with Akane in the early days of the engagement when I wasn't looking, and tell her that if she didn't go along with it you'd disown her?"

"O- of course not, Saotome!" Soun cried, jerking backward, tears reflexively gathering in his eyes at the thought of taking such a terrible line with one of his precious little girls.

"Then you think I'd be willing to do it?"

Soun's answer was a long time in coming, and when it did arrive it was spoken in none-too-certain tones. "You always were better at deceit than I was, my friend... no, you couldn't make such a threat and mean it, but maybe you could make Ranma think you mean it...?"

"I didn't ask you whether you thought I could disown my son," Genma said harshly. "I asked whether you thought I could risk the last of his respect and affection by pushing him that hard. He's all I have left, Soun." And now a dim gleam of fear peaked through Genma's eyes and trembled at the back of the words he spoke. "I've given my life to raise him to be the best martial artist I could, to fulfill our dream of joining the schools. Jusenkyo took away my chance to go back to my wife. Even now that Ranma's cured, it's still not safe as long as I bear my own curse. One splash of water, one sight of 'Mr. Panda', the truth all comes out and it's hello afterlife.

"I can't risk that, and I can't risk losing him. I've pushed it as far as I can, Tendo, probably even farther than I should. I didn't forbid him to see Ukyo, but I told him I wouldn't support it either. I'll even cave in on that if he comes back and pushes me for it. There's nothing else I can do."

Soun stared bleakly at his oldest friend, then shifted his gaze to his own bottle of sake. "In vino veritas," he muttered bitterly. "There's nothing either of us can do."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ukyo slipped through the fathomless currents like a minnow through a midnight stream, twisting and turning, instinctively homing in on her target. As she neared her goal disparate fragments of sensation entered her awareness--a ghost of still air against her cheek, the smell of dust, one glimpse of a shadow far less profound than that of the medium through which she flew. And then she was out of whatever greater darkness held all the slumbering dreams of humanity, and into the specific dream she'd sought.

The chef stood in the yard of a large house, with a dojo off to one side. Ukyo blinked, not having expected this. Kaede was having a dream of the Tendo household? Maybe tonight's program was going to be some dark fantasy of vengeance.

Almost immediately, though, she realized her error. The house before her did resemble the Tendo homestead, but there were many more differences than similarities. Ukyo concentrated, reaching with her awareness out toward Kaede's dreaming unconsciousness, touching lightly as she made the direct connection, searching for answers. A minute later her suspicion was confirmed. The building before her was modeled after the other girl's childhood home, which had also been a large house with a private dojo. Kaede hadn't seen that home in many years, though, and so in constructing this dream her subconscious mind had simply filled in the gaps with details drawn from more recent memories. Inside the house, there was no trace of the Tendos at all.

Ukyo sighed. _I would've rather seen her dreaming about beating the crap out of Akane._

She stood there in place at the front door for what seemed several long moments, hesitating, trying to decide whether she should enter. She knew roughly what she would find inside. The deeper, more direct dreamtouch she'd just used had been at least somewhat informative. However, that method hadn't conveyed as much detail as she could get from opening up the door and going inside, and given what she had found over the last couple of nights Ukyo suspected she needed to see that level of detail now.

With a thought she broke the lock on the door. She pushed it open, then spared one more second to surround herself with the idea of clean, pure air. The shell held as she walked inside, pushing aside the cloud of dust her entrance had raised.

The first thing she noticed, once inside the structure, was the rather disquieting fact that Kaede wasn't here. Ukyo had already been aware that the majority of Kaede's dreamself was currently working out in the dojo, but she'd expected at least a fragment of the girl's awareness to remain here. A normal dream was centered around the dreamer, after all. What was such a detailed building doing here, without any part of Kaede anywhere inside it? The only thing she could think of was that this building was important enough, or represented something important enough, that even though Kaede was elsewhere her awareness of its existence was enough to sustain it this clearly.

From the instincts she'd gained and everything she had learned over the past three months, Ukyo knew a dream of this level of clarity and coherence had to be founded on something very important to the dreamer, some idea rooted deeply within her mind. Not at all a good sign, if this one carried the same themes as the ones she'd witnessed in Kaede's mind over the previous two nights.

Pushing aside those thoughts for now, Ukyo walked further into the house. The living room, like the entryway, was disused and dusty, showing no sign of the life that would have justified its name. There was no furniture either, just an empty, barren expanse of floor. She pushed on to the kitchen, and found what was almost a sadder sight. This room was clean, at least, and carried the awareness that someone came here and made use of it... but instead of all the pots and pans and spices and stores one would expect to find in a kitchen, there was only the absolute bare minimum, and all of this was contained in a worn travel pack leaning next to the sink.

To a chef of Ukyo's caliber, this sight was even more depressing than the entryway and living room. She hurried back through them, passed into a hallway that seemed more like the barest distilled essence of 'connecting space' than a piece of architecture, and then entered the master bedroom. Another sight much like the kitchen, this too showed no dust and not much of anything else. A single futon, large enough for one person but by no means big enough to share, was rolled up in one corner. That was the sum total of the room's contents.

She barely even came to a complete stop within the room before turning and leaving again. More and more Ukyo was regretting coming in here, and feeling the temptation to leave the cold, empty house behind. All she had really come here to do was see how Kaede was doing and give her what help she could, right? What was she doing wasting time in this wasteland?

The chef nearly managed to convince herself of that, nearly decided she'd seen all that she needed to see. She actually did make it all the way back to the living room before coming to an unhappy stop. She'd come here because she knew this would show her important pieces of what Kaede was thinking and feeling. Yes, all she'd seen so far had been depressing and had fit only too well with what Ukyo had been afraid she'd find. But turning tail now without investigating the boarded-over door that lurked at the end of the hallway was just plain cowardice.

Much more slowly than she'd been moving a few seconds ago, Ukyo returned to the hallway, made her way down it, and stopped before the sealed door. With a moment's concentration she removed the nails that held the barring boards to the doorframe and walls, pulled away the boards themselves, and swung the door open. She then stopped, blinking in surprise. The room inside was large, much larger than any other in the house, and contained both furniture and furnishings, bright colors and decorations and a pleasant atmosphere.

Ukyo took a step inside, mentally tallying up the room's contents with ever-increasing puzzlement. A crib, a playpen, baby toys. Beds of increasingly larger dimensions, though all of them were sized for children. Playthings appropriate to boys, to girls, to toddlers and kindergarteners and grade-school children. There wasn't too much provision for any one age group, but the combination of them all created an impression of life five hundred-fold greater than all the other rooms in the house put together.

She took several steps further in, confusion only growing. Why had this room been boarded off? Since there was no answer to be seen, Ukyo stretched out her other senses, trying to understand...

A relative split-second later she was outside the house, the nursery door was nailed shut again, and the front door was securely locked. _Damn, that hurt,_ Ukyo thought miserably, wiping her tears away, too shaken for the moment to eradicate her own pain. She couldn't be harmed in a dream, but what she had sensed there had been terribly painful nonetheless.

It hadn't been something so simple as emptiness. No, what she had felt exceeded that feeble concept as far as the former fullness of her power had been beyond a shadow cast by the ten o'clock sun. What had lurked in that room was the boiled-down, distilled, absolute essence of empty unfulfillment. The toys and furnishings had been a mockery, because the ones they were intended for would never--could never--be there. That room had been a future and an ending, a memorial to what could never ever be, the ultimate expression of Kaede's grief at a part of life that was irredeemably out of reach.

Pulling herself back into focus, Ukyo walked grimly over to the dojo where she could still sense Kaede, not bothering with such niceties as knocking on the door. The shortest path was straight ahead and through the wall, and that was the one she took. Only on the other side did she pause again, silently and invisibly regarding the scene before her. 

Contrary to what she had expected, Kaede wasn't exactly practicing. Instead, the girl was participating in a long string of challenges. Someone would appear at the entrance to the dojo, stride forward and enter combat with Kaede, and lose. The opponents were by no means matched in quality; some gave her a hard fight, whereas others had their heads handed to them in no time flat. Their responses on losing covered a broad spectrum as well, with some bowing in obvious respect, others in equally obvious disdain. Anger, fear, sorrow, a few instances of honest thanks for such a fight--all these responses and more came as Ukyo stood and watched, patient in investigation one last time tonight.

Eventually, though, her patience waned. There seemed no end to the challengers coming through the doorway. She watched as the latest entered, then exerted her own will upon the dream, shutting off this aspect of it. Kaede finished her last opponent and stood waiting expectantly, her posture stiff and her stance tight and controlled, only her eyes and the thoughts she suppressed showing more than a desire for another fight. Ukyo waited as well, looking for the right moment to step forward with further change to the dream. The best point to do that would be when its current form began to fall apart, which ought to happen as soon as Kaede realized the next challenger wouldn't be coming through the door.

The next challenger stepped through the door, and Ukyo learned that it is possible to facefault even in dreams.

_How the heck did that happen?! I crushed that part of the dream... oh._ Now it made sense. This wasn't just another in the string of random challengers. The new arrival was none other than Ranma Saotome, larger than life, sporting a cockier grin than she'd seen him wear anytime in the recent past. He reached the center of the dojo floor, bowed to Kaede and received her bow in return, and combat was joined.

_Yep, this certainly isn't like it was before._ Kaede was fighting at an entirely new level now, significantly above what she'd used when Ukyo was watching earlier. However, her opponent was as far beyond her as her current effort would have been over the lowest of those dojo fodder. He was the wind and the rain and the lightning, directing the entire course of their battle, flowing around her and striking through her defense with ease. And through it all he wore that cheerful, challenging, happy grin that Kaede had apparently committed to memory as thoroughly as had Ukyo herself.

The end came quickly, as Ranma dissolved the last of her defense, leaving her aching, battered, and gasping for breath, but also unhurt. Still smiling he reached out and extended a hand, helping his downed foe back to her feet. He gave her a swift pat on the back, following up with one last encouraging smile backed up by a wink.

And then he was gone, never again to return.

Ukyo felt the change, sensed it as clear as midnight, knew that this departure was the signal that the dream was about to get much, much worse. Recognizing her cue, she concentrated, shredding the structure and surroundings in an instant, leaving Kaede and herself standing on more or less nothing. At the same time she pulled Kaede's mind farther down into the somnolent state she'd used in touching Ranma's earliest dreams, and drew out and destroyed all the darkness currently weighing on the other girl's soul.

She would have felt much better about doing so if this hadn't been the third night in a row she'd repeated the process. Removing Kaede's pain and fears and loneliness didn't seem to be providing more than a few hours of relief. At times like these she really wished she could do something more direct to heal mental damage. Damn Happosai anyway for the destruction of the rod, she thought bitterly. The fires of elemental empowerment had been a forge that strengthened both her and Ranma, allowing her to do all she had for him without hope of his love, giving him the courage to face up to what had to have been the ugliest truths in his life. If she could have given that choice to Kaede as well, Ukyo was sure the change would have afforded the other girl enough confidence to put this loss behind her and press on.

Thanks to Happosai, though, all she could do was try her best with what resources remained to her. _Kaede. _The girl so addressed looked around curiously, or as curiously as she could with a head full of spiritual cotton. Where had that voice come from? Oh, that must be it, the billowing cloud of darkness. She bowed politely.

_Kaede, this is the third time in a row I've seen you dreaming about some pretty terrible things._ She paused, weaving a thread into Kaede's mind that ensured she wouldn't even subconsciously remember that little confession on waking. _ What's worse, each dream is stronger and hurts more than the last. Why are you so sure that no one will ever love you?_

"Because I'm not what any good guy wants," Kaede answered calmly. "I'm a fighter. I'm strong. I'm not cute, I don't cook or keep house, and I don't back down for anybody. I'm a Martial Artist, and until I caught up with Ranma I thought I was about as good for my age as it was possible to be. And when he proved me wrong, that just made me push farther on with the Art.

"That's who I am. And if Ranma Saotome, my fiancé, who really is as good as I thought I was, would rather have a cheerful little homemaker Martial Hobbyist like Ukyo Kuonji than me, then how can I believe there will ever be anyone I want who will want me back?"

A response was a long time in coming. Kaede waited patiently, not that she had much choice given that Ukyo was now the one controlling this dream. At last the shadow-shrouded chef replied, _Kaede, you're making a mistake. Other people have overcome bigger odds and worse hurt than you, and gone on to get what they hoped for. If you don't believe me, you should go talk to Ukyo._ This last suggestion was made with an extra mental twist, to make sure that it, and it alone, would be consciously remembered in the morning.

"No thanks." Ukyo blinked, nearly losing her grip on the 'shred all dark emotions as quickly as they arise in Kaede' part of the dream. That would have been one heck of a surge of bitterness. "Kuonji gave me my life back, and then she took away all my hopes and dreams. I never want to see her face again as long as I live."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was Monday. School was in session. Kaori wasn't there.

The Daikoku daughter lay in her bed, distracting herself from numerous thoughts with a Tenchi Muyo manga. She was definitely not thinking about the homework she was missing. The brunette was also ignoring as best she could the background ache from various portions of her body, especially her left arm and right leg. None of the bones were actually broken, but the limbs were swaddled in enough bandages that a casual observer would probably have guessed otherwise.

Today was the first time in four days that she'd had the apartment to herself. Tetsuro, while cheerfully blasé about the minor scrapes and bruises inherent in seriously studying their family's style of the Art, did _not_ handle it well when his only daughter came home with injuries of this magnitude. He'd spent so much time hovering over her that Kaori had seriously begun to wonder whether she could make an extremely late-night phone call and set up some sort of bogus business emergency in their holdings in Hokkaido.

However, her father's overprotective doting streak seemed to have subsided, at least to tolerable levels. After asking only three times whether she was sure she'd be okay by herself, he'd left her to begin taking care of the business affairs that had piled up over the last few days. Kaori was glad to have her first real waking stretch of peace and quiet.

It had been a long time since she'd read this manga. It was good to laugh, and good to divert her attention from grim reality, even if the story did have more parallels to her situation than really seemed reasonable. Still, these were just two-dimensional characters, ink on a page and nothing more. There was no reason to let it bother her, no point in reading more into this than was there. No need for a shiver to crawl up and down her spine at the sight of Ryoko's energy blasts exploding around Ayeka's shield.

Kaori closed and threw the manga across the room in one convulsive movement, then staggered out of bed toward her Azumanga Daioh stash.

Halfway there, she stopped. Had that been a knock at the front door? The sound came again, clearer now that she was listening rather than limping. Someone was undoubtedly knocking nearby, but it didn't quite sound as if it were coming from the front door. Kaori frowned, then shrugged. If her father had been expecting someone, he would have told her. While she might want a distraction from certain thoughts, that didn't mean she felt like throwing away the first stretch of solitude she'd had in three days. Ignoring the knocking, she retrieved the new manga and turned back toward her bed.

"Yo! Kaori!" The voice was faint, but recognizable. As she realized this, the comics slipped out of Kaori's nerveless fingers. That was _Ranma_ calling for entry!

No time now for hesitation. She grabbed the crutch that let her move at a more reasonable speed and hurried from her room. On entering the living room, she realized why the knocking had sounded a bit strange--her fiancé was on the balcony, looking in through the glass doors, wincing at the sight of her bedraggled appearance, and turning guiltily away.

"You're a bit late, Ranma," Kaori said acerbically once she had the door open. "If you'd deigned to stop by last week, I wouldn't be looking like an extra from 'Bride of the Mummy'." She saw him flinch again, more painfully than before, and bowed her head in apology. "I'm sorry, I didn't really mean that. Obviously I'm not happy about this," she gestured at herself with her working arm, "but it's not your fault."

"What happened?" asked Ranma, despite the fact that he knew exactly what had happened. This was the reason he'd talked first to Kaede, despite having had a better-developed plan for approaching Kaori. Even now he would rather have waited a few more days and let Kaori heal more before having this conversation. But if that meant risking something else come up like what had happened to the Martial Arts Takeout girl... No. It was time for as many endings as he could manage. Before someone really did get crippled or killed.

"I... fought Shampoo." Kaori turned, partly in order to head over to the couch and get off her feet, partly because she didn't want to look him in the eyes just now. _'I still can't believe I just took Akane's word as gospel like that,' _she thought bitterly. _'Went over to the Cat Café looking for some kind of battle to end all battles.'_ She shivered. _'Damn well nearly got just that.'_

"She beat you this bad just for challenging her?" Ranma prompted, kneeling down beside the couch.

"No," Kaori said tightly. "I don't want to talk about it." Didn't want to talk or think about it, didn't want to remember calling Shampoo out, the exchange of insults, the groundless accusations she'd made. Didn't wish to recall the beginning of the fight, when her Amazon adversary had opened with some sort of chi trick designed to aid her in anticipating her opponent's moves, diffusing her aura out before her for nearly fifty feet. Kaori had absolutely no desire to remember the moment of abject terror when she'd realized that said, aura, weak though it was, had apparently been powerful enough. Every single misfortune cookie she'd been carrying was primed and ready to explode at the first jolt.

She knew if she closed her eyes she could live it all again, as clearly and terribly as if it were happening once more. Realizing that Shampoo was already moving in for an attack, one that would leave the both of them little more than a bloody mist hanging over random gobbets of flesh. Screaming in absolute panic for Shampoo to stop, not to strike. Nearly falling to her knees in relief as the Amazon did just that, then surfing a new wave of terror as she realized that if she had so fallen, she would never have gotten up again. Explaining to Shampoo as best she could through chattering teeth what had happened. The bitterness of watching the girl retreat faster than she could believe, jumping three stories to safety in a single bound. The thirty grueling minutes she'd spent carefully easing each explosive out of its carrying space, desperately regretting that the original locking field couldn't be reestablished after the explosives were armed. Gently setting the final deadly delicacy on the street, then running away as best she could with both legs shaking like reeds in the wind, and finally detonating the pile of cookies with her tenth thrown chopstick. Her arm had been trembling too strongly for her first nine attempts to strike their target.

Shampoo had rejoined her then, and gotten a more complete and coherent explanation. The Amazon then proceeded to rip Kaede up one side and down the other for such a stupid, irresponsible attack, lashing out both verbally and physically. Much of the harangue was delivered in Mandarin, Shampoo evidently not finding her command of Japanese to be suitable for this occasion. But her Japanese was good enough for her to make it clear that the beating she'd administered was downright merciful compared to what _she_ would have gotten for making such a mistake as that.

All in all, it wasn't an experience Kaori was interested in relating to her fiancé.

"So where have you been?" she asked, hoping to get away from this topic. "I went and challenged her in the first place because Akane told me that was where you were staying."

"Huh?!" That, at least, was news to the Saotome heir. Ukyo must have missed the memory of that miscommunication when she'd checked in on Kaori's dreams these last few nights. "Akane thought I was stayin' with the Amazons?"

"At least she said she did." Kaori brooded darkly for a moment or two, wondering again whether it had been a set-up or an honest mistake on Akane's part. Once again she reluctantly concluded that it was probably the latter.

"And that's why you went an' fought Shampoo on Thursday." _'Man, this sucks. I thought at least the Tendos wouldn't cause me any more problems.'_

"That's right." Kaori wasn't quite alert enough to catch the significance of Ranma knowing the exact date of her fight. She was too busy concentrating on the questions she had for him, the questions he seemed to be avoiding. "And from the way she reacted I think I believe her when she said she still hadn't seen you yet. Just like I haven't until now. Ranma... where have you been?!"

"I..." Ranma took a deep breath. He'd hoped for a better lead-in than this to what he wanted to say, but Kaori apparently wasn't going to be so obliging. He'd just have to wing it. "I've been trying to get a handle on all the junk in my life. Getting some distance, taking a good hard look at just how messed-up things have gotten. No more dodging the issue or keepin' my eyes shut.

"So... yeah. I need to talk to you about the engagement, Kaori."

The brunette closed her eyes and braced herself. _'If nothing else, at least I think I can say I've helped him get past some of the junk he was stuck in when I got here.'_ Aloud, she said, "Go on, Ranma."

"Okay. It's just... Kaori, you know what happened, right? You an' I were just babies. My dad was lost in the wilderness, out of food, me crying with hunger. And then he found you and your dad, who had plenty of food. And what did your father do?" Ranma didn't quite realize that his voice had hardened noticeably. "What price did he ask for his help? For my dad, who was starving, to hand over his son in exchange for those fish, rice, and pickles.

"Your old man drove a pretty good bargain anyway. Being able to make deals like that, well, I guess it's no wonder you guys are so ri--"

"HOW DARE YOU!!" Kaori's eyes were wide open now, and she glared at Ranma with enough force to send him to his feet staggering backward. "How DARE you say something like that! Yes, my father met a man who'd taken his baby son into the wilderness, and yes, both of them were hungry because the man hadn't brought enough food. Do you know what my father thought when he saw that? Just what any decent man would think! That he needed to get you the hell away from someone foolish enough to risk your life like that!

"My father is a good and honorable man! It's not his fault it took sixteen years to track you down. He was still intent on taking you into our family and giving you something better, he was ready to honor his word, in spite of the fact that that same honorless idiot had all those years to raise you his way. If my father did anything wrong, then maybe still opening our doors to you was it!"

There was more she could have said, but Kaori ended her tirade here as she got a good look at Ranma's face. His skin was pale as parchment, his jaw was tightly clenched, and his entire body was trembling. The grimace he wore was one of pain rather than anger. All in all, he looked about like she suspected she had after Shampoo finished with her, minus the actual bruises.

It took him some little while to collect himself enough to respond. "I'm sorry," he managed to say. "That's... I didn't... dammit all anyway, I guess I should've known this wasn't going to work." The despair in that last sentence was nearly thick enough to cut.

"What wasn't going to work?" Kaori asked sharply, not ready yet to go fully off the boil, but holding back from any more attacks.

"This... all this..." he gulped, continuing with, "I just once wanted... hoped I could keep even one friend after this..." But apparently he'd botched this attempt as badly as he had the previous one with Kaede. The only hope he had left was that Cologne would decide to give him a passing grade, considering how thoroughly he'd crushed any chances of either girl deciding she still wanted to pursue him.

Kaori wasn't sure she'd heard that right. "You wanted us to stay friends, so you thought you'd break our engagement by calling my father a dishonorable old opportunist?!"

Ranma managed a parody of a smile. "It made more sense when I was just thinkin' about Pop."

In a less emotionally-charged atmosphere, Kaori might have laughed at that, but as it was, it seemed more sad than funny. At any rate, she found that her anger was now pretty much gone. She marshaled her thoughts and said, "Ranma, never mind excuses or anything like that. Please let's just be honest now. I," she paused, searching for courage, then continued, "I'll start.

"I have... I've enjoyed spending time with you. Some of the school stuff was boring for me, I know more of it was for you. But even then we were together, helping each other. And we've done more of that too, and had more fun, that day when I chased you over the roofs is one of my best memories in years. I, I like being with you. Our time together has just made me more sure that I wanted more, wanted to help you more, wanted to share more with you. It... made me glad I had you as my fiancé."

Silence greeted her confession. Ranma was too busy staring at her to say anything. It seemed to him as if he were looking both at Kaori and through her, as though she were a window and through her he could see those scenes she'd just referenced, the times they'd struggled with homework, or aided one another in training. Just for a second, it was as if he could see other scenes extending out beyond those, a glimpse of a life that he could have lived. A life more ordinary than the path he now walked, but not any less appealing for that.

The long wistful moment stretched and stretched. And then it was gone.

"I... like you said, I've enjoyed those times, Kaori. But... but they don't feel like something between fiancées," Ranma said, as gently as he could without sacrificing honesty. "It just seemed like two friends. That's what I hoped I could still keep." He sighed. "That's what I've been looking for this whole time, I think. All you girls seem so sure you were ready for more, knew what you wanted. I don't understand that."

"I can only speak for myself, Ranma. But what I knew... I knew I liked being with you and wanted to see where the two of us might go together." Hesitating, suspecting it was probably pointless but unwilling to give up without asking, Kaori continued, "Are you sure that isn't what you want? Do you think that love strikes either all at once like lightning, or not at all? Because that's not true. And I... I can't think of anything more terrible than to throw something away because you don't realize what it might grow into."

"That was a mistake I'd already made before you came back here." He said this quietly, nearly whispering. "It ain't about throwing anything away anymore. It's about trying to clean up all the mess that's left."

"If... if you're trying to tell me that there's someone else, please just say it straight out." Kaori's wavering gaze suddenly hardened into a glare. "And you'd damn well better not say anybody named Tendo!"

"Heh. No, I cut my ties to them for good. I'm picking someone who supports me. Who listens to me. Who believes in me. Who'll turn her life upside down for me without a second thought." Ranma gave a lopsided, bitter smile. "Doesn't seem fair that there's more than one girl that that's true for, does it? I sure as hell didn't want to hurt anybody like I have to, but--"

"I came back here for two reasons, Ranma," Kaori interrupted. "To be your fiancée, and to help you get out of the trouble I'd learned you were in." The trouble to which she'd previously abandoned him. The brunette sighed, and said, "If I have to choose between those two, I'll go with the second one. I don't think I've done nearly as much to help you as I meant to. If... if letting you go makes up for that, then maybe that's how it should be."

"Don't sell yourself short, Kaori," he replied. "The stuff you taught me about chi let me win a real important fight. I was paralyzed, down on my knees, but thanks to you I was still able to lash out that way and knock the guy out. Before... before he could do what he meant to do, which was kill me."

"What?!" the Daikoku daughter demanded, eyes widening in shock. "You... who was this? When was this?!"

"Mousse, and a while back. And I never even told you or thanked you until now." Ranma sighed. "Kaori, a long time ago I told Shampoo I wished you hadn't come back to Nerima, that I didn't need the trouble." The pain and regret with which he spoke those words took most of their sting away. "I'm ashamed of that. I owe you a lot, and I wish I could do a better job of paying you back."

"Just... just make sure you're happy, and that you're with someone you can trust." Kaori smiled sadly at him. "Just out of curiosity, who did you choose? Is it Ukyo?"

"What?! H- how the heck did you..." Regaining a bit of composure as he remembered that this wasn't exactly a secret anymore, Ranma said, "Ah, yeah. But Kaori, how on earth did you figure that?!"

"I guessed. Figured that whoever it was, there had to be stuff going on between you and her that nobody else knew about. That pretty much eliminated Shampoo, and it would explain why Kuonji withdrew from Furinkan last week. And how she knew to bust Nabiki's lies for me that one time. I never got to know her, but at least I can agree she's a better choice than some others." Kaori gave him a half-hearted glare. "Although I can't say it does my pride any good. I mean, that you'd rather have someone who does such a good job disguising herself as a boy."

Ranma laughed nervously. "She... ah... she doesn't really do that any longer."

Kaori noted the signs of embarrassment, particularly the goofy smile on her former fianc's flushed face, and reached an inescapable conclusion--it was time for her to have a little more peace, quiet, and solitude.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Nervous, Ucchan?"

"Not really. How about you?"

"Nah."

"So now we're both lying through our teeth."

"Yeah."

"Even... even with everything we've done, I still don't feel like I'm ready for this."

"You coulda just let me do it on my own, you know."

"No way, Ranchan. I told you I'm gonna be there when you need me. No more wimping out, now or ever."

"I know." They'd just rounded the last corner and come within sight of the Cat Café. "But I'd still feel better if you weren't sticking your face in the fire with me like this. The old ghoul didn't mention anything in that phone call about you coming with me."

Ukyo gave him a piercing stare. "And how do you think I would feel if I didn't, Ranchan? Yeah, I was nervous walking along in broad daylight with you like this, even if most everybody who'd care already knows. Yeah, the thought of going in there and facing down the old woman is even scarier. But we're doing it together. I don't give a burnt moldy okonomiyaki if she didn't mention me when she called and told you to come over. I couldn't bear to let you go off alone for this. If I was hiding back at our place while you went off to face danger alone, I'd be feeling ten thousand times worse than this!"

Ranma dredged up a reasonably cocky grin. "Well, I couldn't do that to you, now could I? Come on, Ucchan, let's get this over with."

The two of them steeled themselves and entered the restaurant, Ranma instinctively pushing a half-step ahead of Ukyo. If any trouble was lurking in the entryway waiting for them, it would have to go through him first.

The restaurant was apparently empty of trouble, at least for now. Cologne was waiting for them at a table in the middle of the room. The Matriarch was standing atop its far edge, staring inscrutably toward both newcomers. Ranma noted that her usual stick was nowhere to be seen, and wondered whether that might be taken as a good sign.

"Sit down, if you please," the Matriarch requested, gesturing toward the two chairs situated at the other side of the table.

Ranma and Ukyo did as requested. "This really gonna take that long, Granny?" Ranma asked once he was seated. "Ucchan and I need to get back to her place before too long if we're gonna open for lunch."

"Subtle as ever, I see," Cologne retorted, glaring back at him. "I think you both know this is a little more important than such frivolous things."

"Whatever. I did what you told me to do. Went to Kaori an' Kaede and shot their hopes down. Told them how things really were, that I was going with Ucchan and not them. Now are ya gonna--OOOF!"

Ukyo gave him a half reproving, half remorseful look, withdrew the hand that had dealt the punch to Ranma's gut, and turned to address Cologne. "Listen, you know he gets rude when he's nervous. I'll try to do a little better than he was managing." She took a deep breath. Ranma glowered and resisted the urge to launch a retaliatory tickle strike. "If... if you really have been watching, you know Ranchan did just what he said. Just what you asked him to do. He went to two girls who were dead set on being his fiancées, talked to them and really got through to them, convinced them to give up. And he did it for me."

"I believe he did it after I instructed him to," Cologne observed.

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma said disgustedly, blocking Ukyo's next jab to his gut. "Seems to me like I remember going to you first, cause I figured you an' Shampoo were the worst threat," another couple of strikes deflected, "and telling you what was what. So don't act like I wasn't going to do this to Kaori and Kaede if you hadn't've told me to."

"And after all that you still don't seem ready to offer any respect?" Cologne clicked her tongue at him, as a governess might at an unusually dimwitted child. "If I were the suspicious type, I might think you were deliberately provoking me, probably in some sort of half-witted scheme to make yourself seem less appealing as a husband for Shampoo."

"Urk!" Ranma replied, seeming suddenly to have trouble breathing.

Ukyo gave him an entirely reproving stare, then turned her attention back to the Matriarch. "You know how important this is to him. To me. Please just tell us what we need to do to get rid of Ranma honey's obligation and give Shampoo back her freedom."

"It's not quite that simple, Miss Kuonji," Cologne retorted. "The agreement was that I would tell him those details of the Law if I was satisfied with the job he did of ending things with those other two girls."

"And are you?!" This was Ranma, all but snarling the question.

"Are you?" Cologne echoed, shooting the question back with less anger but no less intensity. "You tell me. Are you happy with the results you achieved? Are you satisfied? If you truly are set on Miss Kuonji then you would have had to do this regardless of any requests from me. Do you believe you did it and did it well?"

Before Ranma could say anything in response, Ukyo reached out and placed her hand on his arm. Glancing over, taking in the sight of her worried, fearful gaze, he forced himself to back down. "I asked you first. Please just stop tryin' to jerk me around like this," Ranma said quietly.

"You still don't understand, do you. Why do you think I asked that question? I haven't made all my decisions yet. I need to hear your answer before I can render my judgment." Cologne favored him with a harsh glare. "Is honesty too much for me to ask for? Remember whose choices have brought us to this point."

"All right. All right." That was all he could manage for quite some time. Honesty? It hurt to admit it, but it did seem like a lot for her to ask for, at least considering what that would require him to say. But all the other choices--run and sacrifice this chance to resolve things, lie and inevitably get caught, fight and probably lose as badly as he and Ucchan had against Happosai--were even worse. "No, I ain't happy about it," Ranma admitted in a voice not far from a whisper. "Things were okay with Kaori. I mean, yeah, I hurt her feelings, but it wasn't no terrible crushing blow. But Kaede..."

He grimaced, screwing his eyes shut, taking only the smallest measure of comfort from the arm Ukyo stretched along his back. "This is something she's counted on for the last ten years. Taking it away was like, like I kicked out a support pillar in her life." He opened his eyes again, staring desperately back at Cologne. "I couldn't've done it any better, though! She was gonna get hurt like that no matter what I did! No matter how I told it to her! It's just... it's not fair that she thinks without me she's doomed to be alone..."

The Matriarch held silent for more than a minute after this, letting Ukyo draw him more fully into a comforting embrace. Once it looked like he was ready for the conversation to continue, she heaved a long sigh and said, "Congratulations, boy. You pass."

Ranma found no words just then. Ukyo inclined her head and said as respectfully and gratefully as she could, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, child, all he's earned so far is an explanation of the real test. It will be nothing like as easy as this last one. But before that..." Cologne's gaze softened farther than it had yet during this encounter. "Like you, I regret what has been done to Miss Hayashibara. Like you, I agree that she deserves better. And I have an idea on how to make things better for her." She paused, taking note of the way Ranma perked up and stared hopefully at her. "In fact, that idea doesn't even really need your participation. But I believe it would go a lot smoother if you were there to help. Are you interested?"

"Tell me more," Ranma said firmly.

"Tell us both more," Ukyo echoed just as strongly. "Can't say I've been happy about knowing the girl whose life I saved now hates my guts."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kaede moved grimly through the streets, limned in a bloody halo by the red sun of evening. The citizens of Nerima, veteran spectators of a thousand displays of destruction, hurried instinctively out of her way. Her teeth were clenched together, her hands were balled into fists, and the lines of her posture reminded more than one onlooker of a prowling tiger. Her eyes gleamed with the light of anticipated mayhem.

In addition to her now-standard sai and tonfa combo, Kaede carried one other item besides the clothes on her back: a challenge letter, neatly scripted, written only in haiku and signed with the kanji for 'cherry blossom'. As she stalked along, Kaede wondered whether this was some challenger out of her past wanting a rematch, or if it really would be someone new. Prior to Nerima she had only faced a scant handful of female challengers, and she was almost positive she'd never fought anyone named Sakura before. On the other hand, if this name were an alias, it might very well be that worm Kenji waiting for her at the appointed place.

Kaede gave a bloodthirsty grin. She hoped that was it, actually. Thanks to the recent shattering of her dreams she had a lot of anger to work out, and if it really were Kenji waiting to battle her then she would have no qualms at all about beating him to a therapeutic bloody pulp. Any guy who deliberately dressed like a girl in order to trick his male opponents into fighting below their level deserved a few power kicks below the belt.

She reached the park specified in the letter. Kaede retrieved and opened the missive, refreshing her memory as to just where she was supposed to find her mysterious opponent. Ah, yes, there it was:

Thirty paces in,

A sharp right and eighty more,

I wait past the trees.

Kaede gave yet another snort, the seventh she'd uttered since first realizing the whole letter was scribed in haiku. 'Someone's got too much time on his or her hands,' she observed, then gave a silent snarl as that thought triggered another. Forcefully pushing aside the remembrance that Ranma's decision meant she herself now had a lot more free time than she'd wanted, Kaede moved further into the park, following the instructions as best she could.

It wasn't too hard to find the clearing where her challenger awaited. _'Damn, not Kenji after all,' _she grumbled. _'Least not unless he's had some serious hormone treatments.'_

Even in the gloom beneath the trees, the figure standing there waiting for her could only have been mistaken for male by a blind man. It was a girl Kaede was certain she'd never encountered before, about an inch taller than her with a head of brutally short-cropped blonde hair. She wore loose-fitting cotton pants that weren't quite loose enough to hide the development of the muscles in her legs. Her arms, which were bare to the shoulder, showed equal signs of serious power training. Above the waist she wore a simple leather harness, which Kaede noted constrained a bosom even more impressive than Shampoo's.

However, no thought of rubbing this girl's attributes in her Amazon rival's face crossed Kaede's mind. For the first time in years, she was looking at a girl who would certainly lose to her in a beauty contest. Aside from the unflattering haircut, the cherry blossom tattooed on her right cheek, and what seemed to be permanent scowl-lines on her brow, the girl bore several harsh scars in plain sight. One licked down her left cheek in a straight line. The arcing edge of another, worse scar extended out along her bare midriff. But the worst one by far curved directly across her throat, a mark of damage that made Kaede wonder whether her opponent would have to resort to the written word again to explain the reason for this challenge.

Sakura gave a clipped bow, produced another sheet of paper, and walked over. Kaede accepted the missive, scanning it to find--without much surprise--yet another haiku.

Hayashibara

Kaede. Betrayed by Genma,

I'm here for revenge.

"Revenge?!" Kaede snapped. "Revenge on me?! Listen, flower child, Genma damn well betrayed me too. If you want a fight I'll be glad to give you one, but let's get that straight right now."

The other girl shook her head, looking a little frustrated. She pulled out another sheet of paper, this one blank, and slowly, with obvious effort, composed a reply.

Revenge on Genma.

I need your aid, but I do

Not think you'll give it.

She then pulled out a prewritten page.

I challenge you now,

That after I win the fight,

You shall aid my cause.

"Why don't you tell me what you want from me first," Kaede said suspiciously. "Better yet, would it be possible for me to get the whole story here?"

Apparently this question had been anticipated.

Genma and Yumi,

My mother, agreed that his

Son and I should wed.

He then broke his word.

Ran in the night, with Ranma

And our honor blade.

That was twelve years past.

I have trained, and sought him out.

Last year, I found him.

That is why I'm scarred.

That is why I write, not speak.

I could not beat him.

Facing him head-on

Is foolish. I need an edge.

His son will be that.

I need you to lead

Ranma into a trap. That

Will chain Genma's hands.

"Let me get this straight," Kaede growled. "You want me to betray Ranma, leading him somewhere so that you can capture him and use him against Genma?! Allow me to clue you in, Sakura, I'm not interested in chucking away my honor to help you settle your score!"

The other girl apparently didn't have a ready answer for this. Kaede waited impatiently through the minutes it took her to compose and write her reply.

So you think I'm wrong?

Walk away then, but know this.

I'll still hunt Ranma.

He's Genma's weak point.

The best chance I have, and so

I won't just give up.

But if you fight me

On the terms I gave you, then

You can give your own.

She then pulled out another prewritten page.

If I win our fight,

You will do as I have asked,

Lead Ranma to me.

If you defeat me,

I will give my word not to

Use Ranma like this.

After passing this page over to Kaede, Sakura let her hands fall and took several steps back. She waited calmly, watching as the other girl considered her options.

_'I'm not going to betray Ranma no matter what.' _That was the quickest and easiest conclusion for Kaede to draw. She might be hurt that he didn't want her, but not hurt enough to forget the good times they had shared, and especially how he'd helped her deal with her initial losing streak. No, doing what Sakura wanted was out of the question.

That decision didn't answer all questions, though. Namely, Kaede wasn't sure what response she did need to make to Sakura's suggestion. Should she turn tail and run, find Ranma as quick as she could, and warn him about this girl and her agenda? Or maybe... Kaede suppressed the urge to grin fiendishly, and said, "All right. You've got yourself a challenge, Sakura. If I win, you agree not to involve Ranma at all in your fight with Genma. And if I lose, I'll lead Ranma into a trap that you designate." _'After I tell him everything that's going on, so he knows just how to catch you in your own stupid ambush.'_

Not bothering to write out a response, Sakura gave a curt nod and drew herself into a ready stance. Kaede assumed her own, and the two girls began warily circling one another.

After a few seconds, Sakura moved in on the attack--a powerful lunging punch that to Kaede seemed painfully slow. The other girl's form was rather poor as well. It was with virtually no effort that Kaede sidestepped, grabbed the outstretched limb, and flipped the other girl. _'Geez, she's supposed to have been training for twelve years to revenge her family's honor, and this is the best she can do? No wonder she's so desperate.'_ Despite her opponent's initial poor showing, Kaede didn't press the attack, choosing instead to back up and watch. It was at least possible that Sakura was deliberately fighting below her level to lull Kaede into a false sense of security.

One thing at least Sakura apparently had no qualms about showing. The girl bounced back up from an impact that would certainly have left Kaede dazed, seeming no worse for wear. It was evident that she had endurance to go along with her strength. Kaede just smirked, more reassured by the sight than anything else. She'd taken down plenty of fighters who relied heavily on strength and stamina.

Sakura approached again, not quite as quickly as before. One hand was held out a little ways before her with the other remaining close to her chest. Kaede noted the posture and decided that her opponent was hoping to get a grappling hold on her. That would likely end the fight pretty quickly.

Kaede decided that she didn't particularly want to go to close quarters just now, and also that it would be a good idea to learn whether Sakura was hiding any real speed. She darted away at an angle, reaching a patch of exposed gravel and gathering up a handful of pebbles. Sakura was running now, or what apparently passed as running for her. Kaede found no real difficulty in retreating away from the girl while pelting her with the stones, now bouncing one off her ear, now striking her chest, now sending a larger rock to land right where Sakura's advancing foot would land. None of the other hits seemed to have done much more than anger the girl, but this last one sent her foot flying, her balance not just lost but eradicated as the larger girl fell flat on her face.

"You wanna go ahead and concede now?" Kaede asked irritably. She'd been hoping for a real fight, or failing that a battle where she could enjoy beating the snot out of her foe. But with this girl's history, she didn't have the heart to do that.

Sakura bared her teeth in a silent snarl, her hand clawing down into the ground beside her, pulling up a clot of earth the size of her fist and flinging it toward Kaede. The other girl didn't have too much difficulty in dodging, but the wind of the missile's passage clued her in that had that hit it would really have hurt.

"Okay, whatever," Kaede grumbled, letting her remaining stones fall to the ground as Sakura got back to her feet. This time it was the brown-haired girl who moved in on the attack, darting in before her opponent had quite set herself. Her hands moved like weaving serpents, attracting attention and indicating that the attack would be a punch, strike, or something similar. Instead, though, Kaede dropped low at the last second, striking out with a kick at the other girl's knee.

Given the generally poor showing Sakura had put forth so far, it was a bit of a shock to Kaede that her ploy failed utterly. Sakura, declining to be fooled at all, pivoted and bent her forward knee just enough that Kaede's blow whistled past it. This time she had moved with a bit more speed than she'd yet shown, although it was nothing compared to Kaede's own upper limits. And so even as the larger girl followed up with a counterstrike, bending down in a powerful blow that would have smashed her into the ground, Kaede was twisting into her own new attack. She caught the descending hand and used that as the leverage she needed to curl up and bring her knee crashing into her opponent's forehead.

The blow snapped Sakura's head back but didn't accomplish much else. Kaede hadn't really expected otherwise, since her position hadn't allowed for much leverage or strength. All she'd really needed was the disruption. And so in that precious second when Sakura's guard was completely down she pivoted again, coming back to her feet while the other girl's arm was still in her grasp, then stabbed her finger down into just the right nerve cluster.

"Ready to give up now?" Kaede queried, jumping a few feet back.

Sakura retreated as well, staring defiance at her foe. She held up her other, working hand as a look of determined concentration replaced her glare. When the appendage began to glow noticeably, Kaede backed farther up and prepared to invoke her chi-blast countermeasure.

It came as something of a surprise when Sakura instead clamped her hand around her stricken elbow. The chi she'd gathered crackled up and down the limb, looking almost like an electrical discharge. A grimace of serious pain spread across her face, and the arm convulsed. Then her hand opened and closed, she forced a smile back into place, and drew both arms back into a defensive stance.

"And that's supposed to prove what, exactly?" Kaede wanted to know. "Didn't take much of my resources to nail you there, you know. How many more times can you pull that trick off?"

What she'd expected by way of response, Kaede wasn't sure. It certainly wasn't for Sakura to turn and rush away, disappearing into the trees.

"H- hey. HEY!!" she shouted, recovering somewhat. "Nobody said you could run away like that! Get back here!" On the very verge of charging into the brush after her quarry, Kaede hesitated. Sakura hadn't vanished, exactly; she could still clearly sense the other girl's presence holding steady a few feet removed from the clearing. Nor, judging from the amount of rustling in the brush, did she seem to be trying to hide her location.

Just as Kaede decided that the other girl was probably raiding a weapons cache she'd secured here earlier and that she'd better abandon this position in the clearing, Sakura returned. Kaede's suspicions were proven wrong; the blonde hadn't picked up any new equipment. Instead, she'd taken advantage of the moment's privacy to rip away the cloth of her pants below the knees and wrap that around her elbows. Kaede shook her head. "Stubborn and resourceful, I'll give you that much," she muttered. Drawing her tonfa, she proclaimed more loudly, "Okay, no more Miss Nice Girl!"

With that she moved in on the attack again, coming in high and hard with her weapon. Sakura took the first couple of blows on her forearm with some difficulty; the cloth she'd bound around her joint was limiting her mobility a bit, and she'd already been woefully overmatched in that arena anyway. As if sensing this, she abandoned the defense, striking toward Kaede with a powerful one-two combo. Kaede dodged both strikes, dropping the tonfa as she evaded the first and grabbing Sakura's arm as the second blow missed, twisting with her whole body into a throw that slammed Sakura into the ground with a dislocated shoulder.

Kaede grabbed her tonfa and scooted back again. "Anytime you want to call this quits would be just fine by me," she offered. Sakura ignored her, coming back to her knees, reaching out with her good hand and bracing her other arm, then dropping again in a controlled fall that managed to pop the joint back into place. After another fierce grimace of pain, she got back to her feet and prepared to attack again.

This time Kaede's offensive caught her completely by surprise. She had circled around behind her foe during the blonde's last maneuver, and now moved in at the absolute fastest speed she could manage, grabbing Sakura's just-reset arm and flipping her again, this time angling the girl to land facedown on the ground. In the same motion she brought her free hand blazing down, striking a pressure point in each of Sakura's legs, ironically enough in areas that had previously been covered by cloth. The effect was more or less identical to her earlier elbow strike.

Kaede pulled back yet again, silent for a moment as she puzzled over an odd, out-of-place sensation. It had felt almost like something had brushed past her as she flipped Sakura, or rather more like the wind of something's passage had done so. There was nothing to be seen that could have created such a sensation, though. It must just have been an errant breeze.

Shrugging off the distraction, she stared stonily forward as Sakura managed to flop around to face her. "Give. Up. Now." It was not a suggestion, nor was it a request. "I'm feeling like some kind of stinking pathetic bully here. You aren't gonna beat me, and you aren't gonna beat Genma. I'm sorry about that, but it doesn't change the facts," she declared. "Do you yield?"

Sakura glared back at her, then hung her head and tapped the ground twice in a signal of submission. Using her arms to brace herself she swung her legs forward, leaving her sitting with them out in front of her. She then repeated the chi trick she'd shown earlier, freeing up first her right leg, then her left. Each time the technique was performed with obvious and increasing difficulty and pain. She stood wobblingly to her feet, pulled out one last prewritten haiku, and handed it to Kaede.

You fought well, Kaede.

Seems Ranma is safe from me.

Congratulations.

"Thanks," Kaede said shortly, feeling none too happy at the sight of her former foe's battered, pain-ridden state. "I'm sorry about all that."

"I sorry too," the girl replied quietly, in tones Kaede knew all too well.

The illusion of a muscular scarred Japanese blonde wavered and vanished, leaving behind the sight of a muscular purple-haired Chinese Amazon. Kaede, still frozen in shock, couldn't recover anywhere near quickly enough to prevent Shampoo from stepping forward and tenderly kissing her cheek.

"Sorry," Shampoo regretted, stepping backward. "Law is clear, Kaede. No other choice but Kiss of Death."

_That_ got Kaede moving again. The Japanese girl blurred, unleashing the most powerful kick she could manage, catching Shampoo in the gut and flinging her back a good fifteen paces. "How dare you do this!" Kaede raged. "I thought you were better than that, Shampoo! You think I'm gonna let you pull this crap now?! Think again! If you try to make good on this then so help me I'll break you. The Finishing Touch will rip your muscles apart and leave you nothing but a broken shell of a traitorous Amazon BITCH!!"

"That will be quite enough of that, I believe." The dry voice came from directly behind her. Kaede spun to find Cologne balanced on top of her stick, staring inscrutably back at her. "Congratulations, Miss Hayashibara. You just passed a test that Ranma Saotome failed miserably."

"Hey!" the boy in question protested, popping out of the trees. "That's completely different and you know it!"

"W- what? What the hell is going on here?!" Kaede demanded. _'And how didn't I sense them?!'_

"I'll let Ranma explain that to you," Cologne replied, pogoing past Kaede in one giant bound that brought her over to Shampoo. She settled down beside her great-granddaughter and began examining her.

"Am okay, Great-Grandmother," Shampoo said. She got to her feet. Kaede noticed the Amazon seemed unwilling to look toward her, or perhaps it was toward Ranma. He had now crossed most of the distance separating him from Kaede. "No expect such easy fight from me again, Kaede," the lavender-haired girl continued. "Any other time Shampoo will not have to hold back from old familiar fighting style to keep you from recognize."

"I don't understand any of this!" Kaede complained to the onlookers, the earth, the heavens, and anyone else who might be watching.

"Is not too hard to understand." And now Shampoo did look around, fixing Ranma with a look that held such pain, sorrow, longing, and betrayal that he very quickly broke eye contact. "Unlike some people, you getting some of what you wanted."

"Remember that nothing is set in stone yet, great-granddaughter," Cologne said, as gently as she could. "Come on, let's go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Those were some pretty smooth moves, Kaede," Ranma said at last, breaking a silence that had stretched for quite some time.

Kaede snorted. She'd waited this long for an explanation, and that was what he wanted to talk about? "Forget the stupid fight, Ranma. I mean, forget my performance. I want to know exactly what happened here. I just got given the freakin' Kiss of Death!" The strident tone she'd used for that last complaint deserted her then, as she followed up with a tentative, "Didn't I?"

"You got given a test," Ranma said shortly. "Turns out that's what the Kiss of Death really is. When the outsider woman gets it, how she responds is the real kicker. If she stands her ground and shows she ain't a coward, she ain't an outsider no more. Congrats, Kaede, you're now Shampoo's sister for real and a bona fide Amazon as far as they're all concerned."

_'I'm... an Amazon?'_ Kaede stood blinking, trying to fit her mind around this most unexpected of answers. She was vaguely aware that Ranma's lips were still moving; presumably he was still continuing with his explanation, though whatever he was saying failed to make it past the ruckus of her own tumbling, stumbling thoughts.

_'This is what the Kiss of Death really is? That... that actually makes sense. Makes it a good test, as long as the outsider doesn't know the truth.'_ That thought, at least, was easy to understand, and it helped her regain just a bit of mental balance. _'But this... here... what really happened? How could Shampoo disguise herself like that?'_ No sooner had Kaede considered that question than an answer popped into her mind. She'd once before fought someone who knew a chi technique for shrouding himself in an illusion. Shampoo must have learned yet _another_ new Amazon secret during her recent training trip! No, make that _two_, what with the recovery trick she'd pulled! For a moment Kaede nearly felt the old grumbling anger start up again, the sense of injustice at how many advantages her arch-rival's heritage gave her--and then, with a mental jolt, she remembered just what news was responsible for her standing here stunned like this.

_'I'm an Amazon too, now? But... is this right? After all, Shampoo basically threw the fight. She said it herself, she wasn't fighting nearly as well as she could have, to keep me from knowing who I was really going up against. She kept her mouth shut, kept a good enough lid on her real skill that I didn't catch any hint of 'Sakura's' true abilities. She,'_ and with this new thought Kaede grimaced rather painfully, _'she let me kick her around like that. Heck, I knocked her arm out of joint! She just let me do it, let me hand out as much pain as I felt like giving to somebody I thought was trying to backstab Ranma...'_

_ 'She did all that so I could become an Amazon too...?'_

Kaede stood there for quite some time longer, lost in thought. Somewhere in there, it having become apparent even to him that she wasn't listening, Ranma had stopped talking. He stood in silence as well, waiting for her to give some indication that she was paying attention again.

Eventually the brunette's eyes focused, and she met Ranma's gaze. "That's... that's sure not something I expected when I got out of bed this morning, Ranma." Nor, come to think of it, had she even expected to see him at all. "Hey, why are you here anyway? What does any of this have to do with you?"

"I'm still your friend, Kaede. Or at least I'd like to be," he said quietly. "This seems like the best way I could help you out, make up for... well, you know."

"What I meant was, isn't this Amazon business? Why didn't the old woman just explain it to me, instead of getting you involved?" Kaede hesitated, then said, "This is... this is hard, Ranma. Seeing you again, so soon after you shot me down... the Amazon thing is keeping me from really hurting right now, but I'd still rather that the elder had been here."

Ranma flinched to hear that, but stood his ground. "Kaede, that's why I wanted to help you out like this! Cologne thought it would be better too, for me to talk to you now. Cause of what you told me, what was really hurting you, that you were scared you'd never find any guy who'd want to be with you..."

"How the hell does that have anything to do with me becoming an Amazon?!" she demanded.

"What do you think? Yeah, as far as Japanese guys go you're probably dead right. Most guys around here would be scared of a girl who could kick their ass without breaking a sweat, and wouldn't be too turned on by how you don't dress up or curl your hair or do your nails or nothing. I'm sure it would be kinda hard to find lots of guys most places I've been that'd see you as a good choice for a girlfriend.

"But that stuff don't apply at all back in Amazon territory," Ranma continued. "You're basically prime marriage material from what Cologne told me. Going there guarantees you'll have a chance at guys who think you're hot stuff."

"Is that right," Kaede said neutrally. Maybe it was at least possible, maybe she could find some hope here. Maybe she wouldn't have even the beginnings of a nightmare of loneliness tonight. But frankly such concerns as going to China in search of a husband seemed a little too far off to be focused on now.

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I'm not tryin' to say it's just exactly everything you wanted," Ranma clarified. "From what the ghoul said, there ain't any guy there who can come close to matchin' me in a fight." His tone made it blindingly obvious that he'd known this long before the Matriarch told him so. "You'll have to get your challenges and your kicks out of fighting with your new sisters."

"Yeah, like with Shampoo. I sure wouldn't have expected her to go this far to get me into her family," the brunette said quietly.

"Eh, I bet she'd've gone farther than that to get someone as good as you into her tribe," Ranma replied. Then, remembering one of the other important parts that Kaede probably hadn't been paying enough attention to hear earlier, he spoke again. "But listen, Kaede, you ain't locked in. Earning your place like you have means you do have choices, you don't have to take them up on full-blown tribal membership. If you want, you can just be an honored ally instead. That don't get you nearly as many benefits, but you ain't under their law either. You can visit their lands anytime, but you can't settle down for good. If you already respected Shampoo and would've helped her if she needed it, then taking that option don't cost you anything at all, Kaede. Her granny swore that to me."

"Why the heck are you putting so much emphasis on that part?" Kaede wanted to know. "No way am I going to throw this chance away without finding out a whole lot more about it."

Ranma gave her a relieved smile. "That's good to hear. It's just... I'm glad I can make up for letting you down, even if just a little." He sighed. "I sure as hell never wanted to be put in a place like I was in, where any choice at all hurt lots of people. Has this made up for some of it, Kaede?"

"Not that I'm trying to be a bitch, but what exactly did you do here?" Kaede wanted to know. "Besides explaining things to me now."

"Cologne decided to do this based on information she got from me," Ranma replied. "And she thought you would have an easier time hearing all this stuff from me than from her."

"Easier?" Kaede asked, giving him a sharp glance. "I don't know about that." Then she sighed. "But... maybe better... yeah, I guess I am glad I could talk to you again, hear you say you were still caring about me, still looking out for me as much as you could..."

"And now you got plenty of chances to find somebody who'll be able to do more than I can," Ranma said.

"Look, thanks for the bit of hope, but if it's all the same to you I'd rather not keep harping on that point," Kaede retorted. "Not this soon, anyway. It's just... it hasn't even been a week yet..."

No need to ask what she was referring to there. "Right, okay, yeah. Never mind the whole guy situation. Think about the training!" Ranma exclaimed. "You love the Art, Kaede? You wanna go as far with it as you can? They've got stuff you won't learn anywhere else... it's all there, open to you now, the only thing holding you back is you yourself..."

Kaede shot him a shrewd glance, piercing even in the dimness of the light. "Sounds like someone might be regretting losing out on that for himself?"

"Every choice costs something," Ranma answered quietly, and sadly. Then, mindful of the fact that Ukyo was patrolling through the trees ensuring no random eavesdroppers learned Amazon secrets, he hastened to add, "I've made the choice I wanted, though."

"No regrets?"

"I regret the people I hurt, and the mistakes I made, and the opportunities I let slip by me," Ranma replied. "Doing what I can to make up for that now, with you, with the Amazons."

"Are you saying this also helped get you out of your deal with Shampoo?" Kaede asked. Shampoo's reaction earlier seemed to make it clear that he had somehow arranged to escape that tie. "They think I'm good enough that your getting me in the tribe makes up for you not joining?"

"I don't know," Ranma said, squashing the response his pride wanted to make. "I've got some kind of ordeal or something I've gotta go through before I can get rid of Shampoo's and my obligation. I'm going over to their restaurant after this, so Cologne can tell me just what it is." He shrugged. "So yeah, it may turn out that this was part of that. But I really just did it because I wanted to make up for lettin' you down, and set things up to be better for you."

"Thanks, Ranma," Kaede murmured, speaking with difficulty through a lump in her throat. "This... it... it really does help." She got to her feet. "Guess I should let you go talk to them, huh?" _'And get out of here before I break down completely.'_ Apparently enough of the confusion of learning of her sudden new status had faded, and there was now not enough remaining to block her residual pain. In fact, seeing him this concerned for her and yet out of reach, understanding again just how good a man she'd lost out on, was bringing the pain sharply back regardless of any palliative measures he'd taken.

"Yeah. Oh, just one other thing. It's only gonna be Cologne talking to me," Ranma said, trying not to remember one particular event of yesterday, specifically the confrontation with Shampoo when she finally learned all that had happened and that was still scheduled to take place. "She wanted me to tell you, Shampoo will be at the Fujisama Ice Cream Temple for the next hour. If you wanna go talk to her."

"M- maybe." _'Will you please just go before I break down completely...'_ Kaede blinked, feeling a sudden, inexplicable lessening of the pain she was feeling. "Maybe I will talk to her. So anyway, good luck to you, Ranma."

"Thanks." He turned, heading for the trees, disappearing into their shadow. Kaede turned to leave as well, then stopped as Ranma's last words floated back to her out of the darkness. "Kaede, one other thing. Ucchan had just as much to do with this as I did. If it weren't for her, this whole deal would've had to wait until the other Amazons Cologne sent for get here, so you could fight one of them without knowing what was happening. Ucchan's the one you should thank for getting any hope back this soon."

"Kuonji did... how?" Kaede whispered, staring back the way Ranma had gone. But there was nothing to be seen save the darkness under the trees, and the wind through their leaves was her only answer.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Judging by your expression, things went better with Kaede this time."

Ranma inclined his head. "Yeah, Granny, she seemed to be doing a lot better." He and Ukyo had just sat down at the same table they'd used the last time they talked to the Matriarch. He paused a moment, struggling with what he had to say next, then continued, "Thanks. Thanks for helpin' her out, giving her something more hopeful to look forward to. And for letting us be part of it."

"You're welcome." Cologne didn't even bother to hide her satisfaction. "She'll make a fine addition to the tribe." And bringing in such a talented new warrior would restore most, if not all, of the face she and Shampoo had lost by taking this much time to resolve things with Ranma. "Or a fine ally," she said, not that she thought it likely Kaede would settle for the lesser honor. It did make for a convenient bridge into what she had to say next, though.

"That is what you'll be fighting for, if you haven't already guessed," the Matriarch continued. "The test I'm giving you will allow you to become a formal ally of the Amazons, just as I described Kaede's option to you yesterday. You will no longer be counted as an outsider under the Law, which means Shampoo's Kiss of Marriage is rendered null and void. You will be free from all penalties normally associated with being an outsider, nor will you be bound by the laws that govern our people themselves."

"Okay, okay. You already pretty much explained all this stuff yesterday," Ranma said impatiently. "Let's hear something new, like what the test is, or why you wanted to wait until after the stuff with Kaede to describe it to us."

"For the record, it's what _you_ have to do," Cologne replied, sparing a glance toward Ukyo. "Though if she so chooses, Miss Kuonji will be able to help you."

"I made that choice a long time ago, Cologne," Ukyo said firmly. "Just tell us what'll set Shampoo free, and we'll get right on it."

"Very well. For your request, Ranma, the reason I didn't tell you anything earlier was for your benefit. You wanted to help your former fiancée past her heartbreak and fear of loneliness. Very commendable sentiments, and I didn't want them to cost you anything." Cologne paused, wondering whether he would interject something at this point. Seeing the pigtailed teen hold quiet and wait for her to continue, she said, "There is a form that I must follow in giving you this task. That is a matter of Law, not something I can dance around. And part of that form is a time limit, which begins as soon as I have set the task for you. That's why I said this discussion should wait until after you'd done what you could for Kaede Hayashibara."

Ranma made a grunt of acknowledgement and agreement, clearly waiting for her to get down to the heart of the matter. "Traditionally there are several forms this test I'm setting for you could take," Cologne continued. "All of them center around proving yourself, proving your worth and your value."

"Didn't I already do that just by beating Shampoo?" Ranma wanted to know.

"That's more about bloodline than anything else," the ancient Amazon replied. "You prove your strength, you show that children fathered by you will be an asset to the future of the village. But if you want to be an ally, rather than one of us, then what does that say about the future? Perhaps your children will be friendly to our people as well, or perhaps not. In any case they would have to pass their own trials to be counted worthy as formal allies.

"Does this make more sense now, boy? With this test, you're trying to show that you're so good, such a strong, dependable, worthy ally that the very thought of having you on our side for just the span of your years is enough to make up for the loss to future generations."

"I suppose that makes sense," Ukyo interjected, seeing from Ranma's expression that he more or less agreed. "Let me guess, this is something that almost never happens."

"You are correct." Cologne shrugged. "But then, that was pretty much a given, wasn't it? Considering the secretive nature of our people and the severely limited contact we have had with the outside world."

"Is it really all that limited?" Ranma wanted to know. "Kaede had heard of you. And come to think of it, there was even a TV documentary I saw a piece of once."

"That just goes to show how things are changing," Cologne answered, "and frankly it's one of the hardest tasks I've juggled in my role as Matriarch. It's my belief that we need to allow more open contact with the outside world, but this must be done without endangering our culture or the strengths that have stood us through three thousand years."

"Is that part of why you came here yourself, when Shampoo came back the second time?" Ukyo asked. "Ranchan never did explain that very well when he was telling me about what happened before I got here. Why the leader of the whole tribe would drop everything, come here, and stay here this long. It's not like you've spent every minute of your time here scheming to get him for Shampoo. Surely you could've done a lot more than you did."

Cologne fixed Ukyo with a stare intense enough to rock her back in her chair. "Please refrain from mentioning that little inspiration around Shampoo, Miss Kuonji. She's hurt enough at facing the loss of the man she loves. Hearing that much of my time here has been spent on something completely unrelated to her pursuit of him... well, let's just say now is definitely not the time for her to finally make that discovery."

"Our lips are sealed," Ukyo hastened to assure the Matriarch. "Right, Ranchan?"

"Right. Of course, if someone I could mention would quit draggin' her heels and actually tell us what we _are_ supposed to do, it'd be a lot easier to avoid doing the stuff we aren't."

Cologne bopped him on the head, then turned back to face Ukyo. "I expect you to get him better trained than this over the course of your journeys, Miss Kuonji."

"Journeys? Excuse me, could you please be a little more specific about that?" Ukyo asked, as politely as she could while suppressing the urge to bop the old crone right back.

"Very well. I was trying to lead up to it gently, but never mind. Let's give three cheers for the impatience of youth and just spit it out." Cologne paused one second longer for emphasis, then said, "You must find Happosai and take back the remainder of the magical items he stole from us. You have one year and one day to accomplish this, starting now."

"C- couldn't you try something a little less harsh than that?!" Ukyo gasped, one hand suddenly clutching Ranma as if that support was the only thing keeping her upright. "How about just finding some artifacts to replace them?!"

The Matriarch snorted. "Oh, yes, that would do such a wonderful job of proving his worth, when Ranma headed over to the Cursed Antique Shop, bought a few trinkets, and came back here in less than an hour. That would really prove to my fellow Elders that he deserves the break I've given him. Please don't insult my intelligence, Miss Kuonji."

"But... Happosai, he..." Ukyo gulped. "We've had some serious problems with him," she confessed. "And I mean way-worse-than-the-Hiryu-Shoten-Ha problems."

"I am aware of that. Ranma told me Happosai was nearly responsible for your death."

Ukyo took a moment to glare at Ranma for forgetting to mention this to her, then turned back to resume the argument. Ranma forestalled her by reaching out and laying his hand over her arm. "Granny, do you realize what you're asking?" he said.

"I suppose I'll overlook the fact that 'asking' isn't the right word," Cologne retorted. "Yes, I'm quite well aware.

"I'm asking you to defy the Grandmaster of your School. To show that you count the friendship and alliance of the Amazons as more important than those ties. This is probably the least of your concerns, though, given your history with him.

"I'm asking you to leave these familiar grounds, to take everything that was settled and cast it to the winds. To go forth and face a greater challenge than you've ever done in Nerima: making your own way forward, choosing your fights rather than letting them come to you. 

"I'm asking you to knowingly seek out and confront an enemy who is stronger, more skilled, more experienced, and more depraved than you are. To face him down and take from him what he stole from others, artifacts that he could use in ways that no decent person would want.

"I'm asking you to chase him down to earth, to pursue him, and to keep him away from Nerima. As you know, there are other Amazons on their way here, and unlike Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung's visits, they will be staying here for quite a long time. Given Happi's history with our people, he needs to be elsewhere." Cologne's eyes narrowed into a piercing glare. "If the Amazon tribe as a whole learns that Happosai can be found here, you will have the entire Council of Elders down on your town in a heartbeat. The young girls that he enraged then, that you yourself saw being humiliated, are the shriveled up grandmasters of today who would gladly call the debt due with interest accrued over three centuries.

"I'm asking you to make up for all the times you've used us in the past, to do something grand and selfless enough to atone for the hurt you've caused my Shampoo.

"I'm asking you to prove you deserve the special treatment you've demanded."

After waiting a few seconds to see whether the Matriarch was finally finished, Ranma grumbled, "I would've preferred a simple 'Yes'."

Cologne let out an appreciative cackle. "Oh, I will miss you, Son-... sonny boy." Grin fading, she continued, "I will miss you if you go. You have heard the challenge, Ranma Saotome. Refuse it or fail it, and by the Law you remain as Shampoo's honor-bound husband. And if you continue as you have before, then things will end as badly as I warned you. Tell me now--do you accept the test I have set before you?"

Turning away from her, Ranma fixed his eyes squarely on Ukyo's. "Ucchan, this--"

"You'd better not be getting any bright ideas about accepting this for yourself and sneaking off without me," Ukyo warned. "I... I do wish it could've been something less risky than this. But if this is what we have to do to get you free, then I'm gonna be right beside you all the way."

"Heh. Not like I could sneak off anyway. Seein' as how one of us has a serious tracking advantage, and it ain't me." Ranma paused for another long moment, staring wordlessly into her face, trying to read the emotions there. It still wasn't something he was particularly good at. But the determination there was plain for even his eyes to see, along with other things, emotions that had been there for a very long time, and were no longer nearly as frightening as they once were.

"All right," he said, turning back to Cologne. He took a deep breath, then repeated himself. "All right. You got yourself a deal."

"Very well." From somewhere inside her robe, Cologne produced a thin lacquered box, of roughly the dimensions necessary to hold a large sheaf of papers. "This box contains all the aid I am prepared to give you." She opened it, producing--oddly enough--a large sheaf of papers. Peeling the first eight off the stack, she handed them over to Ranma. "These describe the remaining artifacts Happi stole."

"There's only two things listed here," Ranma said after flipping through the pages. Two of them bore detailed sketches, and the rest of the pages appeared to be lore concerning the items.

"Correct."

"Not that I'm complaining about only having to get two things back, but you did kinda make it sound like the freak had taken a lot more stuff than this."

"He did, or have you forgotten? He stole all the lingerie of an entire generation of Amazon maidens." Cologne frowned at the memory. Even though she personally didn't hate Happosai for the antics of his misspent youth, the recollection still rankled. "Frankly, as far as I've ever been able to tell he just grabbed what artifacts he did like a magpie taking something shiny, with no clue as to their potential."

Ukyo glanced at the pages she'd slipped out of Ranma's hands. _'A lump of tiger's eye and a coral-and-amber necklace.'_ And from the stories Ranchan had told her, the other times the old lech had busted out with an Amazon artifact it had been a mirror and a bracelet. _'Magpie sounds about right. He should've dressed up like that instead of a flying squirrel.'_

"Okay, thanks. What else is there?"

Cologne handed over most of the rest of the pages. Only a few remained in her hand as she said, "These papers record knowledge that isn't really an Amazon secret. It's something I learned in my youth, when I took my own journeys throughout the world. It is knowledge of chi, specifically its male and female principles." Cologne's voice tightened, drawing Ranma's attention completely away from the papers. With her eyes boring into his she warned, "And if you succeed in your quest, it is the last secret I will ever freely give to you."

"What kind of stuff is in here?" Ukyo asked after deciding the awkward moment had stretched long enough. "It's too thick just to describe a single technique."

"I already said it was more than that. What I have given the two of you is basic, underlying principles. Building blocks that you can use in a number of ways. Two of those ways are also described in detail there, a technique for each of you. For Ranma, the man, an attack similar in some ways to one he already knows. For you, the woman, a defense against those attacks and others as well. The Yang Bolt and the Yin Shroud.

"Understand this, the both of you." The intensity was back in Cologne's voice, though for a different reason this time. "I already said this wasn't an ancient Amazon secret. Such knowledge as this can be found in other corners of the world. I can assure you that Happosai knows these principles, because he draws his strength and longevity from a perversion of them. It's why he spends so much time in contact with female flesh. Miss Kuonji, you will need to master the Yin Shroud, in order to provide balance for Ranma as he learns his own lesson. But never, _­ever_ invoke it in battle with Happosai. He'll drain your power and boost himself to ridiculous levels of speed and strength.

"Conversely, Ranma, if you can blast Happi with a Yang Bolt, you will knock the fight right out of him." Cologne stared soberly into his eyes. "If you use too much energy, you could very likely kill him. Be aware of that."

Ranma smiled grimly. "Thanks for the info, Granny. And..." the grimness faded, replaced by wistfulness, "thanks for these last lessons."

"Please use them wisely, and well," the Matriarch replied quietly. Then, returning to a more normal level of vitality, she held out the last few papers. These, however, were presented to Ukyo. "Since I was quite sure you wouldn't want him to leave on this journey without you, I took the liberty of having these drawn up."

"For me?" Ukyo accepted the papers and flipped through them, her initial curious look soon replaced by shock and outrage. "This... this... this is ridiculous!"

"What?!" Ranma asked, craning his neck around to read the papers over Ukyo's shoulder. These last few sheets were no records of martial or arcane lore. He frowned in confusion at the sight of the incomprehensible legalese. "What's it say?"

"You gotta be kidding me!" Ukyo declared, paying him not the slightest heed. "My restaurant's worth at least thirty percent more than you're offering here!"

"Of course you could get a better price," Cologne said equably, "if you sought out just the right buyer, and drove negotiations along with your typical determination. If spending the months that would take seems like a better choice to you, by all means feel free to shred that document."

"This is low," Ukyo declared, glowering back at Cologne but making no move to proceed with the proposed shredding.

The ancient Amazon just returned a smile. "Would you rather I withdraw the offer? Or were you planning to leave with Ranma without selling your restaurant? If you can afford the property taxes on an empty building, and you don't need any extra money for your journey, then just tell me you're not interested in selling."

"Wait, she's offering to buy your place?" Ranma stared at Ukyo, then Cologne, back and forth and back again. The thought wasn't that strange, since Ukyo had used it as a bargaining chip on his behalf before. Not to mention she had that yattai. No, this deal wouldn't require Ucchan to give up okonomiyaki, so it didn't particularly bother him. However, the thought of his girlfriend getting shafted certainly did. "Are you tryin' to gouge her over the price, Granny?"

"No, I'm not. Ucchan's Okonomiyaki without Ukyo herself is nothing but a body with its heart cut out. The value of the place with her gone is merely its location plus whatever fond memories people have of eating there in the past. Frankly, all things considered, I think my price is more than fair."

" 'All things considered' my butt," Ukyo grumbled. "All things including the fact that you knew I was gonna have to leave town right away for who knows how long. AND including the fact that you set that situation up yourself!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Miss Kuonji, and don't insult any of us. It's your choice to stand beside him in this trial. As for my own part, I believe I mentioned that there were only certain types of challenges that the Law allows me to give Ranma. All but one of them would require him to leave Nerima for months or more."

"And what is that one exception?" Ranma asked, more out of morbid curiosity than any thought that it was something he'd rather have done. No way would Cologne have brought it up if she thought there was any chance he might go for it.

"Quite simple, really. Defeat me in one-on-one combat."

"Heh. I think I'd rather go up against the freak armed with this, thanks." Ranma patted the stack of papers she'd last handed him, then turned to Ukyo. "Hey, Ucchan, come on. Don't let this get you down," he said, none too pleased at the dark thundercloud of a look still spread across her face. "You don't have to take that offer. We can try to get a better one. Heck, Kaori's dad owns a whole chain of restaurants. I bet he'd be interested in maybe expanding into Nerima."

"Maybe." Ukyo chewed her lower lip for several seconds, her gaze shifting from the papers in her grip to those resting on the tabletop beneath Ranma's hand. "Why exactly are you doing this anyway?" she asked Cologne. "What good does buying my restaurant do you?"

"It has to do with what I told you about establishing more contact with the outside world, and what I said yesterday about having more Amazons coming to Nerima," Cologne answered. "This restaurant alone is too small for all the newcomers." It would still be more than a month before they would arrive, as the decision had been made to wait until after the yearly Tournament before setting out. A fact which would give her time to find other arrangements if Ukyo proved unwilling to sell. "Yours would serve admirably as a second base of operations."

"...All right," Ukyo said after a long moment of silent contemplation. "I guess you've got yourself a deal."

"Hold on!" Ranma protested. "You shouldn't haveta give up your restaurant like that, Ucchan. Not without getting a price you're happy about, I mean!"

"But getting a price like that could take months. And then I wouldn't be happy anyway," Ukyo countered. "That would be a lot worse than this."

"We could still take a coupla days. See how interested Kaori's dad might be."

Ukyo shook her head firmly. "No." She deliberately reached out and flicked one finger against the papers lying forgotten under his hand. "I'll accept Cologne's offer of payment."

"I... okay," Ranma said quietly. After a long moment of silence, he turned back to face the Matriarch. "After Ucchan signs these, is there anything more we need to do tonight?"

"She won't be signing tonight. The transaction needs to be officially witnessed and other bureaucratic details taken care of as well. That's all a task for tomorrow."

"Then is there anything else Ucchan and I need to do here now?"

Cologne shook her head. "No, boy. I've nothing further to tell you, or ask of you."

"Then... thanks." Ranma stood up and bowed deeply. "Thanks for giving us this chance and this help. And all the other times you've helped me, even when I didn't tell you I was grateful. I'll make it up this time, Granny. I promise."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ranma moved slowly through the streets of Nerima, very much aware that he wouldn't be doing so for much longer. The sun had just passed noon's zenith. Hopefully Ukyo had finished her business with Cologne by now; if not, surely it wouldn't be much longer. He'd done everything he'd wanted to do this morning, and was now ready to meet up with her.

As if in answer to his hopes, the door to what had been Ucchan's Okonomiyaki stood open to his approach, welcoming him one last time. Through the door he glimpsed Ukyo, moving slowly through the room as if lost in thought. He hurried inside and greeted her. "Hey, Ucchan. You got everything done?"

"Yeah. Ownership has been transferred to Cologne and I deposited her check. Packed up all my personal stuff, and put what we're not taking with us in storage. Cologne said she'd come by later on today and clean out the perishables." Ukyo looked away, her gaze tracking around the room that had seen so much of her time and effort. "All I really had left to do was say goodbye."

"I'll miss the place too," Ranma said quietly. "Even though I stayed here for such a short time. Ucchan..." he sighed. "I'm sorry to be costing you so much."

Ukyo formed the illusion of a battle spatula and bopped him over the head with it. Much less painful for him, just as therapeutic for her. "I'm not sure how much clearer I can say it, Ranma. You have to know by now that I'd go farther than this to be with you."

"I know. And I ain't saying you should feel any other way," he assured her. "Just that I wish it wasn't necessary. That you didn't have to give up so much for me."

"Oh. Okay." She smiled at him. "You're worth it, Ranma honey. This way I can show you how much I mean that."

"Thanks," Ranma managed, knowing that the word was completely and utterly inadequate. Taking a deep breath and mustering his courage, he stepped over and gave her a quick hug and kiss.

They stood quietly for a few moments after the embrace ended, with varying degrees of blush staining their cheeks. Ukyo was the first to recover speech. "So, are we ready to go? Did you finish saying your goodbyes?"

He nodded, his smile fading. "Kaori and Kaede were both pretty easy. Kaori's moving back to her old neighborhood. She made me promise that if we're ever in Hokkaido we need to stop by and say hi."

"Sounds good to me. What about Kaede? She planning to stick around, head off to China, what?"

"She's pretty much decided to go with joining the tribe. For now she says she'll stay here, meet the new Amazons when they arrive, help them get settled. She'll probably wait on visiting the village until someone she knows can go with her." The serious look he'd been wearing since Ukyo had asked her first question darkened further, into sadness. "Which Shampoo can't do until I've settled things with her."

"Did you talk to her?" Ukyo asked, laying a sympathetic hand on his arm.

"Real briefly. I don't want to talk about it. Let's just say it was as painful as the last time I saw her, and let it go at that."

"That bad, huh. Listen, Ranchan, there was one non-business thing I talked about with Cologne. Told her a little more about what I could do, and offered to help Shampoo like I have other people, giving her peaceful pain-free nights at least. She thanked me and agreed that it would be a good thing. And said I didn't need to worry about the defenses in the Cat Café causing me any trouble."

"I'm glad. Thanks, Ucchan."

"It's the least I can do," Ukyo murmured, _'seeing as how I'm taking away everything she ever wanted.'_ Pushing on to better thoughts, she asked, "So what about everybody else?"

"Everybody else who?" Ranma asked, giving her a questioning look. "You didn't think I was going by the Tendos or nothing, did you?"

"It wouldn't hurt," Ukyo replied, playing devil's advocate. "After all, Akane and Nabiki are off at Furinkan just now. The only people there are Kasumi and Mr. Tendo, you could tell her a proper goodbye and rip him a new one for all the garbage he dumped on you."

"Nah. You know I'm not the vengeful sort, Ucchan. With the old freak being the exception that proves the rule," Ranma said darkly. "I may send Kasumi a letter or something, but for now I just want to get out without them causing any more trouble."

"Guess I can understand that. Aaaaand?" Ukyo prompted. "What about your father, Ranma?" She chewed her lower lip worriedly. "You weren't planning to leave without seeing him, were you?"

"Nope. But I figured you oughta be there for that, Ucchan."

The chef let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

Ranma gave her a strange look. "Would it really have bothered you if I didn't? I know you don't much like him."

"No, but that doesn't mean I didn't think you'd want to talk to him," Ukyo answered. "Then let that be our last piece of business here in Nerima. That hotel where he's staying is on the way to the train station anyway, so let's go ahead and get our packs, turn the lights out and lock the doors."

"Okay." He waited, though, taking his own long last look around the room as Ukyo disappeared up the stairs, recalling fond memories of friendship and free food. Then, reminding himself that the true source of all those memories would be right beside him on the upcoming journey, Ranma strode to his own backpack.

A few minutes later they stood again in the lane outside the building. Ukyo closed and locked the door for the last time. Ranma heaved a long, nostalgic sigh. Genma dropped to the street before them, giving both teens a nasty shock.

However unpleasant the surprise had been for them, though, the expression on the elder Saotome's face indicated he was feeling far less sanguine. Genma's eyes were wide, his face was pale, he was sweating profusely and gasping for air, and he trembled enough to give the front of his gi a certain resemblance to a bowl full of jelly. "Merciful kami, it was true!" he gasped, apparently addressing said spirits rather than either teenager. This impression was strengthened as he clapped his hands and bowed in a quick prayer of thanks. Then, straightening up, he took a quick step forward and stared desperately into his son's eyes. "Ranma, don't go! Not now, not like this! Don't cast your poor father to the wayside!!"

"What? Pop, get a hold of yourself," Ranma suggested. "You make it sound like I'm taking the first step of the rest of my life or something." Noting the fact that this only seemed to make Genma more anxious and unhappy, Ranma ran those words back through his mind. Giving himself a mental slap on the forehead, he amended, "I mean, you don't think I was gonna skip town for good without telling you, did you?"

"That's EXACTLY what I'm afraid of!" Nor were those fears assuaged in the slightest yet. "Some gracious kami warned me, Ranma! Sent me a terrible dream last night, of you and Ukyo leaving, running away and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't catch up! By the time I saw you again ten years had passed, you had a houseful of children, and you barely even remembered your poor old father!"

Ranma shot Ukyo an ironic glance. She looked off into the distance, whistling innocently.

"And then I came by this morning and found you weren't here, and your things were packed up ready for the road. I've been waiting for you two to come out ever since then." Genma gulped, trying to find the right words. "Ranma, I'm sorry. You were right, I shouldn't have opposed you choosing her. Here and now I give you my blessing. Now, you wouldn't hold a few little mistakes against me, would you? You wouldn't really cast me out of your life, right?"

"Geez, old man, get a grip. This ain't gonna be any ten-year trip," Ranma explained. "Cologne told me what I have to do to get free from Shampoo. I gotta track down the old freak and get back some stuff he stole from her tribe. Don't tell me you want to come along for something like that," he added, knowing just how well able his father was to stand up to Happosai.

"Yes I do," Genma said instantly, with fervor enough that Ranma's jaw nearly hit the ground.

Recovering the power of speech, the pigtailed teen said, "Didn't you hear me, Pop? I said I'm gonna go fight Happosai! You don't seriously expect me to believe you want in on that."

Genma hesitated, trying to decide how to answer. "I... I don't know, Ranma. I won't lie to you--I don't know if I could bring myself to face him like that." But all hesitation and uncertainty were gone from his voice as he spoke his next words. "But I certainly do want to come with you!" Seeing Ranma's continued dubious stare, he swallowed a little more pride, felt fear creep a little higher, and managed to say, "Son, you, you're all I have..."

"That... no, that's not true," Ranma replied. Seeing even worse pain twist across his father's features, he hastened to add, "You don't get what I'm saying! I got a real good reason for wanting you to stay here while I go off with Ucchan!" This time he gave himself a real slap to the forehead. "Okay, that didn't come out right. Pop... take a good deep breath, calm down, and listen to what I have to say. By the time I'm done, I guarantee you're gonna agree that it's best if you stay here."

Genma took the deep breath, and managed at least a better imitation of calmness. "All right. What do you mean?"

"First things first. I'm only gonna be gone for a year. That's how much time I have to do what the old ghoul asked," Ranma explained. "One way or another, I'll be back then. Maybe sooner, maybe a lot sooner if we can track the freak down fast enough."

"And do you really think you can defeat him?!" Genma burst out, the specter of abandonment displaced for the moment by fears of a different sort of loss. "Boy, you've fought the Master enough times to understand how powerful he really is. What makes you think you can succeed where a drum of dynamite and a boulder full of wards failed?"

"The ghoul gave me a technique that'll hit him in his weak spot," Ranma reassured his father. "Let's keep on subject here, old man. I was trying to tell you why you need to stay here instead of coming with us."

"Very well, I'm listening." _'Please don't just say you don't want me around anymore.'_

"It's what I said earlier, about me not being all you have. There's your friendship with Mr. Tendo and his family. People who did plenty to tick me off, but who I still care about. Even Akane, uncute tomboy that she is. I got no interest in making them suffer for their mistakes." Ranma stared hard into his father's uncomprehending eyes. "C'mon, old man, put the pieces together. You know good and darn well Akane ain't really a martial artist. As far as mastery goes her father's a one-trick pony, and that Demon Head won't solve all his problems.

"Leaving their place was one thing. I still could've jumped in and helped if some new nutcase decided to kidnap Akane. Or if some other crazy mess happened there. Being with Ucchan wouldn't've stopped me from doing a martial artist's duty to protect those who needed it. But I have to leave Nerima now, probably even Japan. And I sure won't be back in anything less than a month. You think the Tendos will be okay for that much time? How long is it gonna take for the next random weirdness that they can't handle by themselves to land on their heads?"

"Nothing like that ever happened in all the years before we arrived here, you know."

This simple, undeniable fact rendered Ranma literally speechless. "Do you think all the crazy things that've happened to them have been your fault?" Ukyo wondered, having at last found a good point to join the conversation.

"No, that ain't true," Ranma managed to say. "Ryugenzawa! Toma's island! The Phoenix Egg! Natsume an' Kurumi! There's plenty of stuff that would've or could've happened even without us staying there." As if finding strength in that undeniable fact, Ranma spoke more firmly now. "And all of it would've been a heck of a lot worse without me there to fight. Do you understand what I'm saying here, old man?" He fixed Genma with a challenging stare. "I have to leave. If you come with me, your old friend's family is easy prey for the next disaster. Whatever happens will be on both our heads. You for coming with me, me for letting you do it."

"It's... that's... I don't..." Clearly Genma was having trouble finding an answer.

"Pop. Please." Ranma spoke with some difficulty. "I don't love Akane, but I don't wanna think about some jerk grabbing her and forcing her to marry him either." With that out of the way, his words came more easily, and more firmly. "I am asking you to take responsibility here. Be the friend that Mr. Tendo needs, that his whole family need. Deal with the stuff you always foisted off on me. Do something that you and I can really, honestly respect."

Genma closed his eyes, no longer able to meet his son's unyielding stare. He took a couple of deep, heaving, ragged breaths. "Very well, Ranma. I'll do this for you, I'll take care of things here so you can do what you need. No prince will force himself on Akane, or the other girls. No dojo destroyer will make off with Tendo's sign. No demonic forces will use the basement as a beachhead for their invasion."

"I wouldn't tempt fate by saying something like that last one out loud," Ukyo mused.

Judging from Genma's expression, he found himself in agreement. "Anyway, I guess you were right. There is good reason for me not to come with you. But... please, call once in a while, will you? Or write? Or both?"

"I will," Ranma promised. "And I'll be back before you know it."

"I hope so, boy. I hope so."

With nothing further to say at the moment, both Saotome males just stood there in awkward silence. Ukyo decided to end it. "Well, since this is goodbye for awhile, and since you already offered your blessing to Ranchan and me, there's something I personally would like from you."

"What's that?" Genma asked warily.

"Just something you've never yet given me," she answered. "An apology for the ten years of crap you dumped on me, all the time together you cheated me and Ranma out of."

Making an odd sound that neither teen was quite able to identify as a suppressed snort, Genma quickly dropped into the Crouch of the Wild Tiger. "I'm sorry, Ukyo Kuonji, sorry indeed. I'm very, very sorry I engaged you and Ranma and then ran off with your dowry."

Ukyo glared down at him, not missing the significance of the wording. _'Right,' _she thought, _'it's nightmares again for you tonight, jackass.'_

Genma got back to his feet, and returned his attention to his son. "In any case, go with my blessing, Ranma. Do what you need to. Do what your father never managed to do." He paused, staring at Ranma with an odd mixture of fear and hope. "Do you really think what the old woman gave you will be enough to let you take on the Master?"

"I sure hope so," Ranma said. "And it fits with stuff we've already seen. The old freak sure didn't handle it well when we exposed him to men's underwear. A chi attack infused with purified yang energy oughta be straight-up poison to him."

The older man blinked. "That does sound reasonable. I'll have to thank her for passing such secrets into the Anything Goes School."

"One other thing you should talk to her about. There's a buncha new Amazons coming out here before too much longer. You should see if Cologne would be willing to get them to bring some Nannichuan water with them."

Genma stared, shock writ plain across his face. "They are? They could! When are they coming?!"

Ranma shrugged. "I don't know. She said it would be a while before they get here, but she wasn't any more specific than that."

_'Then hopefully they haven't left yet... there could still be time to do what he says, get the old woman to send a letter before they leave for Japan... but for all I know time could be running out right now...'_ Genma's eyes focused on his son again. "Thank you, boy. I'm proud of you, have a good trip, stay safe, never slack off in your training, and don't forget to write. Now, if you'll excuse me..." And with that he was gone in a cloud of dust, the thought of finally eliminating the last chance for Nodoka ever to learn about Jusenkyo giving wings to his feet.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Ranma stated.

"Hey, at least he got his head out of his hindquarters long enough to say he was proud of you," Ukyo responded. "That's a better goodbye memory than I would've expected from him. You should be happy, sugar."

"Heh. Maybe you're right," he allowed. "Come on, Ucchan, let's move out."

"You got it." Ukyo reached over and looped her arm through his. After they'd taken a few steps, she spoke again. "You know, Ranchan..."

"Yeah?"

"We _are_ taking the first steps of the rest of our lives."

He snorted. "Duly noted. Let's just make sure we're happy with where we end up."

"And that we're happy getting there," Ukyo said firmly. "The journey's as important as the destination, right?"

"Right," he agreed, looking at her with an open, heartfelt smile. "But for now, at least, I think that part will take care of itself."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Afterword

If there's one thing this story has taught me, it is this: when you've only got one chapter written of a planned multichapter story, NEVER announce how many chapters it will take to complete. Other authors may be able to pull it off, but my ability to estimate length of story is far too unreliable. This tale was intended to end after three chapters, for crying out loud!

And yes, lest anyone wonder, Nocturne is complete. It was always planned to end with Ranma and Ukyo leaving Nerima on a quest to deal with the stubbornest and trickiest of his obligations. That truly is how I see Ranma's tie to Shampoo, for the various reasons that I have outlined throughout this fic. And for other reasons, many of which are also mentioned in this story, I believe Shampoo is the girl with whom Ranma would have his best chance at mutual happiness.

But that is not to say that he couldn't build a happy, fulfilling life with another fiancée instead. Nor should anyone think that I believe Ukyo would have to change as drastically as she did in this story in order to end up with him. But I DO believe that the Nerima paradigm needs to change, and one good way to do that is to do it dramatically, the players breaking it before it breaks them. Ukyo's elemental empowerment was a tool to that end (along with allowing me to polish certain writing skills that before this I'd rarely used), as well as showing how much I believe she would sacrifice for her Ranchan.

This seems like a good time to mention that many of the ideas in this story, particularly characterization points, were influenced by or borrowed from the story Mamono Hunter Ukyou. Fans of Ukyo and the Ranma-Ukyo matchup should definitely give that story a try.

Speaking of characters and characterization, I had not originally budgeted for Happosai's presence in this story. He's a hard character for me to include in any large way in serious stories, due to two facts. One, he's powerful enough to unbalance things easily if he so chooses. Two, unlike Cologne he doesn't have much of an understandable agenda. What was he really thinking during the Hiryu Shoten Ha arc? Why would he use such a terrible technique on Ranma for crossing him this time when there are plenty of similar occasions where he does nothing of the sort? Heck, he didn't do anything remotely that nasty to Soun and Genma, and this is after they sealed him in a cave for a decade!

Still, I'm pretty satisfied with the way things worked out. As the time came to begin work on chapter five, I was feeling more and more certain that I didn't want to contribute another super-powered Ranma fic to the pile. And so we get to see a little bit of Happosai's history and a few clearer glimpses as to just why Soun and Genma are so afraid of him, and Ranma gets another reason to stand up and fight those who would make his choices for him.

So what now? Is this my cue to start up on the sequel? Afraid not. I do intend to write one, but not anytime in the near future. There are other ideas that have been waiting and waiting for their chance to be written. This story, at least, I wanted to end without everything being wrapped up all nice and neat, so the readers can imagine for themselves what might come next.

Thanks to Nemesis Zero, Zorknot, and Ed Simons for prereading. NOTE: there are still a couple of people whose comments I'm waiting on, so there's a possibility I might repost a final version of this chapter before too long. However, I'd say there's almost no chance of major changes between now and then. Thanks to everybody who's sent encouraging email for Nocturne, hope you liked this last chapter, and I'll see you next story.


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